
4 ft 




l LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.? 

$ /$ 

I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. J 







Giotto, the shepherd boy, taking his first lesson in drawing, p. 96. 



THE HOLY CHILD, 



OB 



THE EAKLY YEARS OP OUR 



LORD JESUS CHRIST. 



By W. M/ BLACKBURN. 






PHILADELPHIA : 

PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION. 

NO. 821 CHESTNUT STREET. 



3T3ok 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by 

JAMES DUNLAP, Treas., 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District 
of Pennsylvania. 



STEREOTYPED BY 

WILLIAM W. HARDING, 

INQUIRER BUILDING, SOUTH THIRD STREET, PHILADELPHIA. 



PREFACE. 



I remember sitting, one bright Sabbath morn- 
ing, in a Sabbath-school class. The lesson was 
" the wise men and the star." From the time 
a mother had told and repeated the story, that 
second chapter of Matthew appeared to me very 
wonderful. But my teacher made it more wonder- 
ful than ever. He described the star-light, and 
how the wise men came over mountains and 
through deserts, through noon and night, to the 
Great City. He drew Herod as the terrible king. 
He pictured the stall and the manger, until we al- 
most thought we could see the Holy Child, and 
the wise men bowing down to worship. From 
that day I wished for a little book grouping to- 
gether all the scenes of his infant life. More 
and more striking, has that expression, "His 
-Star" been. It was Jesus Christ's star. And 

(3) 



4 PKEFACE. 

the wise men knew it was the star of a king. 
We hear of Herschel's star, but this was " His 
Star," and it went out as soon as Jesus was 
shown to a little band of Gentiles. 

A few years since I heard a sermon on the 
song of the shepherds. It, too, revived the 
wonder of my childhood, as I imagined that 
brilliant glory shining upon the astonished 
shepherds. Standing soon after in a city park, 
when the trees and clouds were all made sur- 
passingly beautiful by the burning of a worthless 
house, the thought came, Was it like this ? 
There was the cloud for the angel, and here the 
glory of light ! No it was far more brilliant. 
We cannot imagine the surprise of the shep- 
herds. And had they not known of a coming 
Saviour, they would not have been joyful at the 
words of the angel. Since that time my pur- 
pose has been to try and write a little book, of 
which this is the result. 

No one can improve the gospel record. All 
that can be done is to bring all the accounts into 
one, illustrate them, and point to the lessons for us 
to learn. Books at hand have been used, and 
perhaps some expressions stamped on the me- 
mory, have been written down without the 



PREFACE. 5 

marks of quotation. Never would I have the 
Gospel record taken from a child, and this little 
book put in its place. No, let this lead to the 
Bible. Let me decrease, and the gospel writers 
increase. Let Jesus be crowned as Lord of all. 
All we can do is to help " prepare the way of 
the Lord, and make his paths straight." 

Importance is given in the New Testament to 
the record of the infancy of our Lord. If this 
record were not given as full as it is, cavillers 
might dare to say, that we have no proofs that 
Jesus Christ was an Hebrew, or was of the fa- 
mily of David, or was born in Bethlehem, as 
foretold, or was the child of a Virgin, or was re- 
gularly a member of the Jewish Church. But 
with this full record before him, no one can deny 
these facts and fulfilments of prophecy. 

Every Christian must love these touching and 
beautiful records, where every delicate page is 
as pure as the freshest snow. Many things 
might have been noted in this little volume, 
which belong to a commentary, such as the most 
excellent Notes of Dr. Jacobus, which we are 
glad to see now bearing the stamp of the Pres- 
byterian Board of Publication. 

It is a striking fact that none of the things 
1* 



6 PREFACE. 

which Jesus touched can be now known. Not 
the manger, nor the exact place where it rested, 
nor the house at Nazareth, nor the cross, nor the 
exact spot where it stood, nor the tomb, nor the 
rock whence he ascended, can now be identified. 
Why should they be '( Why seek for them ? 
Only the foolish think they need them. Jesus 
lives. His glorious works are not destroyed. 
Signs and wonders shall yet be done in the 
name of the Holy Child, Jesus. 

W. M. B. 
Erie, Pa. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

A Child who was not Holt. A driver boy — 
Never saw a Testament — The little books — The 
Genealogy — Reading in tears 11 

CHAPTER II 

The Ancient of Days. The Divider of time — Ages 
of hope — Isaiah's picture — The suffering Saviour... 25 

CHAPTER III. 

The days op Caesar Augustus. The world's great 
Emperor — Kind and proud — A time of peace — Vir- 
gil's strange words — The decree from Rome — The 
enrollment 33 

CHAPTER IV. 

The days of Herod the King. Days of blood — Mar- 
iamne — A king killing his queen — A king's con- 
science — Suspicious kindness — The sports of Herod 
— Herod giving corn — Rebuilding the Temple — An 
Eagle on the gate — A few righteous — The enroll- 
ment 39 



(7) 



8 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER V. 

PAGB 

The City op David. Bethlehem — Song of the val- 
ley — Rachel's grave — Three widows — The gleaner 
The happy poor — Parched-corn — The home of brave 
men — Hardy sports — Young David — The well of 
Bethlehem — The choice of a King — The last made 
first — Bethlehem's honour 57 

CHAPTER VI. 

Good tidings of great joy. Use of Genealogies 
— Bethlehem crowded — The inn — The company — 
Strangers in the town — No room at the inn — The 
refuge — The manger — Love to a mother — Comfort 
for the poor , 74 

CHAPTER VII. 

The night watch and the morning song. The 
Angel's song — Shepherds — The good Shepherd — . 
Jesus seen of Angels — Angels are Holy — A gleam 
of glory — Glad news — A sure sign — Many angels 
—The early visit — A glad sight — Come and see — 
Mary's memory 92 

CHAPTER VIII. 

The Name and the Doves. All names in one — Pre- 
cious name — The saving name — A visit to the tem- 
ple — Waiting for the dawn — The Lamb — The 
Doves — The poor man's gift— The Holy Child 
presented 112 



CONTENTS. 9 

CHAPTER IX. 

PAGE 

Simeon's happy day. A glad old man — Ready to 
die — A great light — The great sign — Falling by un- 
belief — Rising by faith — A sign spoken against — A 
sword of grief — Sorrowful mothers — A sinless son 
— Anna — Abiding in God's house, 126 

CHAPTER X. 

The Sages and the Star. The Holy Child visited 
— The Magi — Wise and good men — The star of 
Christ — Glad travellers — A troubled king— A city 
excited — The awful secret — King- craft — Preten- 
sion — Lo ! the Star — Worship of the Holy Child — 
Rich gifts— Gifts to the Holy Child— Great faith— 
The return— Our Star 142 

CHAPTER XI. 
The Babes of Bethlehem. Herod outdone — Herod 
in wrath — An escape by night — Children slain — 
Herod's death — A plan to make mourners — The 
golden funeral 168 

CHAP TER XII. 
Children in Heaven. Gathered lilies — A letter — 
Talk with Death — Paradise flowers — The Great 
Reaper 181 

CHAPTER XIII. 
The Son of God called out of Egypt. A Son of 
Herod — Like his father— The angel's visit — Fear- 
ful news— From Egypt to Nazareth— A Nazarene.. 189 



10 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

PAGE 

The joyful visit to the Passover. A joyful visit 
— The Passover — The Signals — The journey — The 
Passover-Supper — The solemn night — The days ful- 
filled , 199 

CHAPTER XV. 

Jesus with the Doctors. Jesus left in the city — 
The Doctors — The way to learn — A beautiful legend 

Jesus among the wise Mary's surprise — The 

first word — A Parable 211 

CHAPTER XVI. 

A Lesson from Nazareth. A lesson from life — 
What shall we be ? — Two texts — A short sermon — 
Our example — The only sinless example— Jesus is 
Divine — " I don't know " — Faith and feeling — 
Things not as they seem — Two great facts— The 
Latin student — Two young friends— Copy good 
examples 223 

CHAPTER XVII. 

The Child who would be Holy. True praise — 
Bible-children — The little Bible reader — Brotherly 
love — Reading our praises — The snow — Whiter than 
snow — Johnny Luther — The royal garden — Para- 
dise 246 



THE HOLY CHILD. 

CHAPTER I. 

A CHILD WHO WAS NOT HOLY. 

" 'Tis little joy- 
To know I'm farther off from heaven 
Than when I was a boy." 

I was once going from one town 

to another, on a canal boat. In 

passing through the lock, where 

the captain politely allowed us to 

get aboard, there was a shocking 

amount of cursing and swearing 

by all hands about the boat. After 

we were fairly moving onward, the 

(11) 



12 THE HOLY CHILD. 

captain rebuked his men quite 
sharply for their profanity. He said 
that nearly half the town could hear 
them swear. He told the two driver 
boys that they should be dismissed, 
if they " carried on that way any 
more." But one of them, named 
John Conner, was very impudent, 
and said he was not going to have 
his tongue tied by any such threats. 
He then struck the horse, on which 
he was riding, a heavy blow on the 
head, which caused the horse to 
stumble and fall. John was quite 
badly hurt, but getting up he beat 
the innocent horse, and swore by 
the name of the Holy Child, Jesus. 
The men were shocked. 'No won- 
der. One of them spoke very 
kindly, and told John not to swear 



A CHILD WHO WAS NOT HOLY. 13 

for there was a minister on board. 
John looked wild. He held down 
his head, and walked close by the 
side of his horse as if he would hide 
himself. He was ashamed that a 
minister had heard him swear, as if 
his presence was all that made it 
wrong! Indeed this occurs quite 
often. In passing groups of men or 
boys, I have frequently heard one 
say, " Take care, there goes a min- 
ister.' ' And yet Grod had been there 
all the time, and heard every word 
they had said. Why did they not care 
for Him, who said, " Thou shalt not 
take the name of the Lord thy Grod 
in vain ?" We ought to have a 
proper respect for men, but first of 
all we should " fear Grod, and keep 
his commandments.' ' 



14 THE HOLY CHILD. 

John was ordered to come on 
board at the next bridge. The men 
were all reading some tracts which 
I gave them, when John came. 
John had very little to say when 
the captain told him that, if he saw 
any more such conduct, he would 
send him home, and that would 
make his poor mother very sorry. 
When John was aside from the rest, 
I went to him and asked him about 
his home, his widowed mother, his 
horses, and whether he had ever 
been to Sabbath-school. He said he 
generally went fishing, or bird-hunt- 
ing on Sabbath, but never went to 
any school on that day. He became 
very talkative, and told about many 
wonderful things he had seen and 



A CHILD WHO WAS NOT HOLY. 15 

heard. Still he did not feel quite 
at home. 

" Did you ever hear about the 
Holy Child ?" I asked. 

" No, sir, not that I remember." 
" Ever know any good child- 
ren?" 

" Some, better than I am." 
" Why were they better ?" 
" You know," said he slowly, 
after thinking awhile ; " they don't 
swear any, and get mad, as I do 
sometimes." 

" Do you know the reason ?" 
" No, sir, but I think- — — " said 
he, hanging down his head. 

" Why, John, they have heard of 
the Holy Child. That is it. Don't 
you want to hear and read about 
him?" 



16 THE HOLY CHILD. 

" I have no book that tells about 
him, I guess. Do you mean the 
' boy that never told a lie ? ? That 
story was in one of my Readers." 

" No, I mean the Holy Child, Jesus, 
who never did anything wrong. 
Did you never hear the name Jesus 
Christ?" 

John was ready to cry, for he 
thought how wickedly he had spoken 
that name a little while before. He 
told me what books he had, and 
some of them were very bad books. 
He promised to throw them into the 
canal. He had never known what 
the New Testament is, and thought 
he would like to buy one. I went 
to a little package of Sabbath-school 
books, which I was carrying, and 



A CHILD WHO WAS NOT HOLY. 17 

taking from it a New Testament, 
wrote in it these words : 

Presented to 

JOHN CONNER, 

BY A TRAVELLER WHO HOPES THAT 

HE WILL READ ABOUT THE 

HOLY CHILD, 

John now stood by me with clean 
hands, a bright face, sparkling eyes, 
and a heart that seemed willing to be 
made better. " The captain will let 
me read," said he, " till we get to the 
next lock, and that is three miles 
yet. I was afraid that he was mad 
at me. Ask him not to turn me off, 
for my mother would almost die if 
he did, and all my money goes to her. 
Captain's got five dollars now of 
2* 



18 THE HOLY CHILD. 

mine, keeping for her. Do you 
think he means to turn me off?" 

" He wants you to be a good boy, 
John, and now let me tell you how. 
I always have hope for a boy who 
loves his mother, and reads his 
Bible. The Holy Child loved his 
mother. She was a poor woman, 
and he was very kind and good to 
her as long as he lived. Let us sit 
down here, and look at this New 
Testament. About eighteen hun- 
dred years ago, Jesus Christ lived 
on the earth. Some good men wrote 
several little books about him. 
Matthew wrote one, and Mark an- 
other, Luke wrote a third, and John 
wrote a fourth. Here they are all 
together, with a small history of 
the early church, and some letters 



A CHILD WHO WAS NOT HOLY. 19 

by Paul and Peter, and John and 
Jude, and a book of glorious visions, 
which John saw, when alone on the 
island of Patmos. This is the only 
book, that tells you how to be a 
Christian, and get to heaven. You 
never read such a book. If you 
love to read it, you will never want 
to play on the Sabbath any more, 
nor swear, nor get angry, nor play 
cards, nor read bad books, nor tell 
lies, nor keep bad company. If you 
really love this Testament, you will 
carry it with you, and read it every 
day, and will wish to be like the 
Holy Child. You will love to sing 
a little song, which the children 
sing in Sabbath-school : 



20 THE HOLY CHILD. 

" I want to be like Jesus, 
So lowly and so meek ; 
For no one marked an angry word 
That ever heard him speak." 

And you will also say, 

" Alas ! Fm not like Jesus, 
As any one may see ; 
gentle Saviour, send thy grace, 
And make me like to thee." 

Now look at the first chapter of 
Matthew. See that long list of 
names. If you could go back and 
tell who your great-grandfather was, 
and who his father was, and his fa- 
ther, and so on back for many hun- 
dreds of years, you would then know 
your genealogy. These names tell 
us the genealogy of Jesus Christ. 
"When you read the Old Testament, 
you will find most of these names, 
and no doubt will love to read the 



A CHILD WHO WAS ]STOT HOLY. 21 

wonderful histories of Abraham, 
Isaac, and Jacob, Jesse, David, and 
Solomon. This is the genealogy 
of Joseph, the reputed father of 
Jesus Christ. His real father was 
God. Over here in Luke, there is 
the genealogy of Mary the mother 
of Jesus. Matthew and Luke tell you 
more about the Holy Child Jesus 
than any of the other writers. They 
all tell you how Jesus went about 
doing good, how he showed himself to 
be the Son of God, how he came into 
the world to save sinners, and how he 
was crucified for us, even for you and 
me. Grod had told the men who wrote 
the Old Testament that a great per- 
son should be born in Bethlehem, 
who would be the Holy Saviour. 
This book tells about his birth, life, 



22 THE HOLY CHILD. 

death, and resurrection. Begin here 
and you can read for yourself. And 
remember, the best wav for you to 
speak the name of Jesus, is in prayer. 
Pray to Jesus to make you a good 
boy. Jesus can hear you pray. He 
is now in heaven, but as he is the 
Son of Grod, he knows all things, and 
can hear every word that we speak. 
You will soon find a prayer for you 
to offer every day." 

John was so eager to read the new 
and wonderful book that he quite 
forgot to thank me. I was glad to 
see him bend down over its pages 
and read with all his might. I had 
often wondered how we should read 
that sweet story of the babe in Beth- 
lehem, if we had just found it for 
the first time. I wish we could all 



A CHILD WHO WAS NOT HOLY. 23 

read it as John did that day. The 
tears came in his eyes, and he for- 
got that the men on the boat were 
looking at him. When we came to 
the next lock, he was called to help 
about the horses. And giving John 
a Testament for the other driver- 
boy, I left the boat. He thanked 
me as I shook his hand and helped 
him on his horse, and as I looked 
from the top of the hill 1 could see 
John reading his new book, while 
he sat in the saddle, and his little 
friend also reading on the boat. I 
never saw them again, but hope the 
lesson did some good, for the Bible 
says, " Blessed are ye that sow be- 
side all waters." 

Now will you read more about 
the Holy Child? My only design 



24 THE HOLY CHILD. 

is to help you to understand it, love 
it, and try to be holy children. Lu- 
ther said, that if he could know that 
his books would keep men from read- 
ing the Bible, he would wish them 
all burned. Burn this little book, 
if it shall keep you from reading 
about Jesus Christ in the New Tes- 
tament. 



THE ANCIENT OF DAYS. 25 



CHAPTER II. 

THE ANCIENT OF DAYS. 

" He change tli the times and the seasons." — 
Daniel ii. 21. 

Why do we not write the date 
of a letter, thus, " Year of the world 
5864," instead of, " A. D. I860?" 

Why did men count time from 
the Creation, until about 4000 years 
were passed, and then begin again 
from a new point ? 

Because Jesus Christ came into 
the world. The dates in our histo- 
ries are counted from the birth of 
Christ. Solomon lived 1000 years 

before Christ. Luther lived 1520 
3 



26 THE HOLY CHILD. 

years after Christ. This is one thing 
which shows that Jesus Christ was the 
greatest person ever born in the 
world. He is the great Time- divider. 

Jesus had been expected for forty 
centuries. Just think of a child 
being talked about, forty centuries 
before he was born ! Very few men 
ever had their birth foretold. Lu- 
ther had not : "Washington had not. 
Grod knew it from eternity, but told 
no man. Cyrus had been foretold 
and named nearly 150 years ; but 
Jesus was foretold through 4000 
years. This shows that the pro- 
phecies came from Grod and are 
true. 

The first written word about the 
coming of Jesus was uttered in the 
garden of Eden. I have little doubt 



THE ANCIENT OF DAYS. 27 

but that Adam and Eve talked with 
all their children about the coming 
Saviour. Abel was willing to lis- 
ten and learn. Cain was bent on 
having his own way, and would not 
worship the Lord, as Grod had or- 
dered. Abraham and Moses talked 
of the coming one. It is very certain 
that the Angel, who often talked 
with good men in the olden time, 
was Christ in the form of an angel. 
His name was the Angel-Lord, or 
Angel-Jehovah. He appeared to 
Mosesin the burning bush. Hedwelt 
in the pillar of cloud and fire, which 
led the way for the Israelites. He 
was worshipped. He was called the 
Lord and Grod. Christ lived before 
he was a babe in Bethlehem. 

Great preparation was made for 



28 THE HOLY CHILD. 

the coming of Jesus into the world. 
For him a nation was raised up 
from Abraham. For him sacrifices 
were appointed. For him all the 
Jewish worship was established. 
For him the tabernacle and temple 
were built. For his sake the pro- 
phets were sent to preach the truth 
to men. Certainly he was to be a 
great personage. 

It was not enough that he should 
appear as the Angel-Lord. For he 
must be a man in order to die for 
men. He was Grod in the flesh. 
Only a man sinless as he was could 
be a worthy sacrifice for sin ; only 
God could be a Saviour ; and Jesus 
Christ was both. He is our only 
sacrifice and Saviour. 

Perhaps many persons think that 



THE ANCIENT OF DAYS. 29 

the Lord Jesus was not talked of 
very much before he came in a hu- 
man body 1860 years ago. This is 
a mistake. The Jews talked much 
of his coming. David sung his 
praise. Isaiah seemed to have a 
vision of him on the Cross. So too 
did David; read Psalm xxii. and 
Isaiah liii., and see how much they 
are like the account of the crucifix- 
ion. 

"In the writings of David and 
Isaiah, we have a series of predic- 
tions which foretell, in the most em- 
phatic terms, the following events : 
— That the Messiah was to be a de- 
scendant of David ; that his mother 
was to be a virgin ; that he was to 
be born in Bethlehem ; that he was 
to be of humble birth, and without 
3* 



30 THE HOLY CHILD. 

external recommendations to pub- 
lic notice ; that he was to reside in 
Galilee ; that his life was to be one 
of suffering ; that he was to be re- 
jected of his own people (the Jews) ; 
that he was to be betrayed by one 
who professed to be a friend ; that 
he was to be treated as a malefac- 
tor ; that he was to be mocked and 
insulted; that he was to display 
lamb-like meekness and patience; 
that he was to be put to a violent 
death, yet with the appearance of 
justice ; that his executioners were 
to divide his apparel, casting lots 
for his vesture; that although put 
to death, as a criminal, he was to be 
interred in a rich man's tomb ; that 
he was to rise from the dead, with- 
out his body having undergone cor- 



THE ANCIENT OF DAYS. 31 

ruption ; and that he was to leave 
the world, and ascend into heaven. 
Wow, all these prophecies are in the 
book which you honour as divine. 
There can be no forgery, for they 
were written long before the advent 
of Jesus."* 

Such things could not have been 
foretold, unless these men were 
taught of Grod. Jesus was to be 
more than the great divider of cen- 
turies : he was to come as the suffer- 
ing Saviour. 

Jesus whom angel hosts adore, 
Became a man of griefs for me ; 

In love, though rich, becoming poor, 
That I through him enriched might be. 

Though Lord of all, above, below, 

He went to Olivet for me ; 
There drank my cup of wrath and woe, 

While bleeding in Gethsemane. 

* See Leila Ada, p. 115. 



32 THE HOLY CHILD. 

The ever blessed Son of God, 

Went up to Calvary for me ; 
There paid my debt, there bore my load, 

In his own body on the tree. 

Bonar. 



DAYS OF C^ESAK AUGUSTUS. 33 



CHAPTER III. 

THE DAYS OF CJESAR AUGUSTUS. 

And it came to pass in those days, that there 
went ont a decree from Cassar Augustus, that all 
the world should be taxed. (And this taxing 
was first made when Cyrenius was governor of 
Syria.) Luke ii. 1, 2. 

Will you take a map and find 
Rome ? Suppose yourself living in 
Rome while Augustus is emperor. 
You hear him called " Master of the 
world," and " Father of his country." 
He so adorns Rome, that men are 
saying, " He found it of brick, and 
will leave it marble." The people 
love him. Courtiers flatter him. 



34 THE HOLY CHILD. 

He is fond of granting favours. 
Once when a modest man was pre- 
senting a petition to him, in a very 
timid way, he exclaimed, " Be bolder, 
friend ; you seem as if you were 
offering a petition to an elephant, 
rather than to a man." 

Yet Augustus is proud and vain. 
He wishes the people to think that 
he is the son of a god, and that 
Apollo is his father. He thinks 
there is something divine in the 
brightness of his eyes, and is pleased 
when any one turns from his gaze, as 
if his keen look were painful. 

In the heathen temples at Rome, 
are trophies from almost all nations. 
The land of Judea has fallen under 
the Roman power. A Roman army 
is in Judea. A troop of Romaa 



DAYS OF (LESAK AUGUSTUS. 35 

soldiers are in Jerusalem. Many 
I Jews are in Rome. You hear of 
their keeping one day in seven as a 
Sabbath. The Romans do not have 
any day of rest, except an occasional 
holidav. 

These Jews, in Rome, often speak 
of their coming Messiah. No doubt 
many Romans hear of this expecta- 
tion. JSTo doubt the Jews who are 
scattered in other lands lead men to 
look for some great personage to come. 

Augustus seems to have loved 
peace ; he had many poets and histo- 
rians about him. Men were read- 
ing the poems of Virgil and Horace, 
the histories of Livy, and the bio- 
graphies of Cornelius Nepos. Strabo 
was writing his great geography. 
The Emperor often dined with 



36 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Virgil and Horace. He forgave 
Horace for once fighting in the 
army against him. 

The temple of Janus was always 
open in the time of war. It had 
been shut only once or twice for 
hundreds of years. But now the 
nations have ceased fighting, for a 
while. Augustus orders the doors to 
be closed, as a sign that there is peace 
in the earth. Grod intends this in 
honour of Him who is coming to bring 
" peace on earth, good-will to men." 

Yirgil caught the idea that a great 
Prince was coming into the world, 
and that the age of happiness — the 
golden age — was returning to men. 
It seems as if he had seen or heard 
of the Jewish Scriptures. Of a cer- 
tain child, he wrote some strange 



DAYS OF (LESAR AUGUSTUS. 37 

words. They will perhaps show 
what the Romans were expecting, 
as well as show how rashly Virgil 
could flatter, and here they are : 

" The great order of the ages begins anew, 

Now from high heaven a new race is sent, 

In this infant the golden age 

Shall rise again over the world. 

He shall rule the reconciled world 

With the wisdom and virtue of his father. 

To thee, child, shall the earth pour forth 

Her gifts, as of old, without culture. 

The timid herds in the pastures 

Shall not be afraid of the terrible lions. 

From thy cradle shall spring the loveliest flowers. 

The serpent shall perish, and poison decay, 

Clustering grapes shall hang on the thorn, 

And honey shall drop from the oak. 

Behold how full are all things of joy 

For the age of gladness is coming " 

The child which was thus compli- 
mented died soon after. Virgil 
knew nothing of the Holy Child. 

" And it came to pass in those 



38 THE HOLY CHILD, 

days, that there went out a decree 
from Caesar Augustus, that all the 
world should be taxed," or enrolled 
for taxing. The names and amount 
of property should be written down 
by the proper persons, so that after- 
ward the tax-money might be collect- 
ed. The custom with us is similar. 
One man goes among the people 
and assesses or enrolls the persons, and 
afterward another collects the taxes. 
These taxes were not really col- 
lected for several years after the 
enrolment, when Cyrenius was 
Governor of Syria. Luke does not 
say that Cyrenius was governor when 
the enrolment was made, but when 
the taxes were collected. It is said 
that Herod had the collection of the 
taxes postponed. 



DAYS OF HEROD THE KING. 39 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE DAYS OF HEROD THE KING. 

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of 
Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, 
there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. 
— Matt. ii. 1. 

Please take a map and find Jeru- 
salem in the land of Judea. While 
Augustus was seeking peace, Herod 
was in perpetual quarrels. He 
drove the robbers from the country ; 
he became the terror of his friends, 
and put to death his foes. He was 
one of the worst men that ever lived, 
and yet was called Herod the 
Great. 



40 THE HOLY CHILD. 

He was great in wickedness. A 
complaint was once made against 
him because he slew whom he chose, 
and he was summoned before the 
Jewish Council. He came before 
that court, of about seventy men, 
with royal pomp. He carried a 
sword and wore a purple robe. He 
appeared very terrible, and these 
seventy men were afraid of him. 
They let him go free. He after- 
ward put all of them to death, except 
one or two who had spoken well of 
him. 

He poisoned his father, and then 
pretended to be very sorry over 
his death. He went to Rome, and 
by appearing noble, generous, and 
grand, he obtained the government 
over the land of Judea. This made 



DAYS OF HEKOD THE KING. 41 

him king of the Jews ; he put to 
death forty-five nobles, and took 
their property. No wonder he could 
buv favours and hire murderers. 

He married Mariamne, a beauti- 
ful woman of high rank, and made 
her brother, Aristobulus, the High 
Priest in Jerusalem. He was a 
lovely boy of seventeen years. The 
people loved him. When he ap- 
peared before the great multitude 
at the Feast of Tabernacles, in 
the splendid robes of the High 
Priest, and performed his solemn 
duties with perfect order and grace, 
the people were delighted. They 
were almost ready to cheer him, 
their hearts were so glad. But woe 
to any one whom the people loved ! 

Herod was jealous. He was so 
4 * 



42 THE HOLY CHILD. 

crafty, however, that he pretended 
to join in the admiration of the 
young High Priest. In a few days 
he sent Aristobulus to Jericho, and 
there he was drowned by some hired 
traitors. But Herod, the great 
deceiver, put on mourning, shed 
tears, and made a splendid funeral, 
as if he was deeply grieved at his 
death. 

Once he went to see Mark Antonv 
and Cleopatra, for he feared they 
were about to take away his power. 
He asked his uncle Joseph to take 
charge of his family and his throne 
during his absence. He left a secret 
charge with Joseph, to put Mariamne 
to death, if his mission should fail ! 
Joseph told her of this. Her mo- 
ther wished her to take revenge on 



DAYS OF HEROD THE KING. 43 

Herod. But she seemed ready to 
doubt Joseph's word, or to forgive 
her wicked husband. When Herod 
came home, he was told that Mari- 
amne had not been faithful to him, 
but.they were soon reconciled. He 
assured her that he loved her with 
all his heart. She then asked him 
why he had left that secret order 
for her to be put to death. Herod 
sprang to his feet in great fury. 
He was about to slay her on the 
spot, when he saw how beautiful 
she was, and his anger was cooled. 
No doubt her calmness and willing- 
ness to forgive kept her from being 
killed. Herod then turned his 
anger against his uncle, and Alex- 
andra his wife's mother, because 
they had revealed the fatal secret. 



44 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Joseph was killed, and Alexandra 
was imprisoned in a wretched place. 

Once after this, Herod went away 
and left the same order to have his 
wife murdered ! 

She found it out, and on his return 
met him with coldness and dislike. 
Who can wonder ? She one day re- 
proached him with his crimes of mur- 
der. He ordered some of her friends 
to be killed. He had Mariamne 
brought before a court, whose judges 
were so afraid of Herod that they 
dared not find her innocent. She 
was sentenced to death. And still 
when this terrible king saw how beau- 
tiful she was, he was almost ready 
to spare her life. She was led, 
one day, to execution. She passed 
on silently, calmly, and showed that 



DAYS OF HEEOD THE KING. 45 

she felt herself to be innocent. She 
died worthy of the noble family 
of the brave Maccabees. She had 
ardently loved her husband and 
king, although he had been the 
murderer of her grandfather, father, 
brother, and uncle, and had twice 
left orders for her death in case he 
should be slain. Wonderful was 
the love of Mariamne ! And strange 
to tell, her mother took Herod's 
side when this loving queen was 
about to be slain, and reviled her as 
she went to the place of execution 
for being ungrateful to so gentle 
and affectionate a husband ! What 
traitors are often about a throne ! 
How wretched, oftentimes, is the 
home of a king ! In many a poor 
cottage there is far greater happi- 



46 THE HOLY CHILD. 

ness, as we shall see in the home of 
Joseph, and Mary, and the Holy 
Child. 

Herod was very unhappy for a 
long time after this ; he could not 
forget that he had murdered an 
innocent wife. Every where, by 
day and by night, he was haunted 
by her image. He called upon her 
name. He went about weeping and 
groaning. Feasts, and revels, and 
dances could not drive away his 
remorse. He felt as if God's hand 
was smiting him. On the pretence 
of hunting, he went into the soli- 
tudes of the country, and for a time 
he lay at Samaria almost insane. 
He slowly recovered from this 
disease of body and mind, and seems 



BAYS OF HEKOD THE KIITO. 47 

to have become more bloodthirsty 
than ever before. 

It would be too revolting to tell 
of all the murders of which Herod 
was guilty. He even went so far as 
to have his two sons put to death. 
They were sons of Mariamne, and 
Herod had given them a good edu- 
cation. "When they came home 
from their schools, the people gave 
them a glad welcome. How proud 
many a father's heart would have 
been at this, but Herod was jealous. 
He imagined that they designed to 
take his life and his throne. So he 
had them arraigned before the Em- 
peror Augustus, and the Roman 
judges, and there plead against 
them. Through his influence they 
were sentenced to die. In spite of 



48 THE HOLY CHILD. 

every entreaty, he had them strangled 
to death. After this, remorse again 
seized him, and he began to pay 
greater attention to his nephews, 
which made them very suspicious 
of his designs. 

All this will show, how ready 
Herod was to be filled with jealousy, 
fear, and hatred, when Jesus was 
born. It shows how crafty he was 
w r hen he pretended to have a wish 
to go and worship the Holy Child. 
It helps explain why he ordered 
the massacre of the infants of Beth- 
lehem. 

When Herod travelled abroad, he 
took great pains to make people think 
that he was a noble and generous 
king, and that the Jews were a great 
and rich people. The Jews have 



DAYS OF HEKOD THE KING. 49 

been a noble race. They hated 
Herod. He was only a half-Jew. 
His deeds made his people hate him. 
He brought too many Romans into 
their land and cities. He tried 
to introduce Roman customs and 
amusements. He built a theatre in 
Jerusalem. Outside of the walls 
he set up barbarous shows of wild 
beasts, and prize-fighters, which 
were anything but refined and 
amusing. They were the disgrace 
of even heathen Rome. When 
the Jews would come to Jerusa- 
lem to attend the great feasts, and 
to worship God in the holy tem- 
ple, they would be tempted to go 
to these places of wickedness and 
cruelty. JNo wonder they hated 
such shows, and hated Herod for 



50 THE HOLY CHILD. 

bringing them to their beautiful and 
Holy City. 

Herod then thought he would 
please the people. Once after a 
year of drought, there was not left 
seed-corn enough to crop the fields. 
Herod instantly opened his treas- 
ures, sent to Egypt for corn, and 
gave the people large amounts. He 
also gave them much ready-made 
clothing. It is said that he pro- 
vided food, that year, for fifty- 
thousand people, at his own expense. 
His motive was to gain favour in his 
kingdom. 

He had also a great rage for 
splendid buildings. He erected 
citadels, and built up cities. He 
thought he would do as Augustus 
was doing, and turn Jerusalem from 



DAYS OF HEKOD THE KING. 51 

brick to marble. To please the 
people he proposed to rebuild the 
temple. At first they suspected he 
intended to destroy it. But he col- 
lected such piles of materials on the 
ground, that they began to think he 
was in earnest. Then they hastened 
to assist in the work. The Jews 
were always ready to do anything 
for their temple. Ten thousand 
workmen came. A thousand priests 
gave the necessary directions. There 
were a thousand wagons kept in 
service. The work went on grand- 
ly, and in a year and a half the 
most holy place was finished. They 
did not tear down the old temple 
all at once, but took down a part at 
a time, and then built up the new 
part in the same place. Then they 



52 THE HOLY CHILD. 

renewed another part in the same 
way, so that worship could be held 
all the time they w r ere building. It 
was dedicated eight years after it 
was begun, and there were many 
sacrifices and abundant rejoicings. 
The entire work was not finished 
for forty-six years, and hence the 
Jews said to our Saviour, " Forty 
and six years was this temple in 
building." John ii. 20. 

Herod did all this for mere effect. 
He cared nothing for the temple or 
for its holy worship. He allowed a 
heathen temple to be built in a 
small city of Judea, and dedicated 
to Augustus Csesar. He placed a 
large golden eagle over the great 
gate of the holy temple, which 
offended the Jews very much. Two 



DAYS OF HEROD THE KING. 53 

young men tore it down, and they, 

with some of their teachers, were 

burned alive, by order of the king. 

Herod went to the theatre and the 

shows, and presided over the cruel 

sports. He did not furnish any 

sacrifices for the regular worship 

in the temple, but when the Roman 

Agrippa came to Jerusalem, on a 

visit, Herod showed him all his 

great works, offered one hundred 

oxen in the temple, and feasted 

the whole multitude. He did this 

to gain favour at Rome. You will 

be ready now to expect just such 

conduct from Herod as the Bible 

represents. 

Herod was almost seventy years 

old w T hen the Holy Child was born. 

If you had lived in those days, you 
5* 



54 THE HOLY CHILD. 

would have found many good and 
devout people in the city of Jerusa- 
lem, and in Judea. You would 
have heard of the priest Zacharias 
and his wife Elizabeth. " They 
were both righteous before Grod, 
walking in all the commandments 
and ordinances of the Lord blame- 
less.' ' They were both very old. 
The angel Gabriel came and told 
them that a son should be born in 
their house. -This son was John the 
Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus 
Christ. He was six months older 
than Jesus. 

You would have heard of the en- 
rolment which was ordered by Au- 
gustus at Rome. Perhaps you 
would have seen some Roman officers 



DAYS OF HEKOD THE KING. 55 

opening an office in different towns, 
and in a book, registering the names 
of the people, and the value of their 
property. The Jews did not all go 
to Jerusalem for this. They went, 
each man, to the chief city of his 
own . tribe. Those of the tribe of 
Judah went to Bethlehem. Joseph 
and Mary were of this tribe, and 
also of the family of king David, 
and when they went to Bethlehem, 
Jesus was born there. 

Grod had said he should be 
born there. And yet Joseph and 
Mary lived at Nazareth. This 
enrolment brought them to Beth- 
lehem at the proper time. Augus- 
tus did not know what a pro- 
phecy he was causing to be ful- 



56 THE HOLY CHILD. 

filled. Verily this is the finger of 
God. The emperor served God's 
purpose, and yet knew it not. We 
cannot see all the results of our ac- 
tions. 



THE CITY OF DAVID. 57 



CHAPTER V. 

THE CITY OF DAYID. 

Let us go to Bethlehem. It lies 
six miles from Jerusalem on the 
road to Hebron. It is a city set 
on a hill, and has been a signal-light 
for hundreds of years. For ages 
there have been reapers, gleaners, 
and shepherds about Bethlehem. 
It was called Ephratah, the fruitful, 
no doubt, from the rich fields and 
the grassy plains, near by the city. 
Hence also the name Bethlehem, 
the house of bread. I can almost 
imagine that David was thinking 



58 THE HOLY CHILD. 

of the valleys and fields about his 
native city, when he said in his 
song of praise to the Lord : 

Thou visitest the earth and waterest it, 

Thou greatly enri chest it with the river of God,* 

Which is full of water ; 

Thou preparest them corn 

When thou hast so provided for it. 

Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly, 

Thou settlest the furrows thereof : 

Thou niakest it soft with showers ; 

Thou blessest the springing thereof. 

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, 

And thy paths drop fatness. 

They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, 

And the little hills rejoice on every side. 

The pastures are clothed with flocks, 

The valleys also are covered with corn ; 

They shout for joy, they also sing. — Ps. lxv. 

Many of the names in the genea- 
logy of our Lord are closely con- 
nected with Bethlehem. Let us 

* The rain. 



THE CITY OF DAYID. 59 

notice a few of them as their history- 
casts light on the record concerning 
the Holy Child. 

Jacob could not forget Bethlehem. 
On one of his most painful journeys 
from Bethel, he halted near the 
city on the hill, and there saw 
Rachel die. There too he buried 
her, and set up a pillar upon her 
grave, which stood for centuries. 
There too Benjamin was born, the lad 
who was to take the place of Joseph 
in his heart. Jacob remembered 
all this on his dying bed, and said, 
" And as for me, when I came from 
Padan, Rachel died by me in the 
land of Canaan, in the way, when 
yet there was but a little way to 
come unto Ephrath : and I buried 
her there in the way of Ephrath, 



60 THE HOLY CHILD. 

the same is Bethlehem." There 
Rachel wept over her new born 
babe, and died ; but in the days of 
Herod many mothers wept over 
their slain infants, and would not 
be comforted. 

In the time of the Judges there 
was a famine in Bethlehem, and all 
the region around it. The family, 
in which Naomi was wife and mo- 
ther, went to Moab and dwelt there 
ten years. Her husband and two 
sons died, leaving three widows. 
She heard that the Lord had visited 
his people in giving them bread, 
and started to go to Bethlehem. 
She kissed her two daughters-in- 
law, and, weeping, advised them to 
remain among their kindred, for 
they were Moabites. She appreci- 



THE CITY OF DAVID. 61 

ated their love to her and to her 
sons, and said, " The Lord deal kindly 
with you as ye have dealt with the 
dead and with me." They all wept. 
It was hard to part, for they loved 
each other. Orpah kissed her mo- 
ther-in-law and said farewell. 

Ruth would not leave her. She 
gave a most touching and beautiful 
answer to Naomi. " Entreat me 
not to leave thee, or to return from 
following after thee : for whither 
thou goest, I will go; and where 
thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy 
people shall be my people, and thy 
Grod my Grod. Where thou diest, 
will I die, and there will I be 
buried : the Lord do so to me, and 
more also, if aught but death part 
thee and me." 



62 THE HOLY CHILD. 

So they both went to Bethlehem. 
The people were surprised to see 
Naomi. Perhaps they thought she 
was dead, or were astonished to see 
her so sorrowful. " Is this Naomi ? 
And she said, " Call me not Naomi,* 
call me Mara ; for the Almighty 
hath dealt very bitterly with me." 
This was at the beginning of barley 
harvest. 

The wheat harvest soon came on, 
and Ruth went into a field of one 
of her husband's nearest kindred, 
to glean the ears that the reapers 
would leave. There she met Boaz, 
who afterward married her. Their 
great-grandson was David. 

After reading the little book of 

* Naomi means pleasant or happy : Mara 
means bitter. 




Ruth in the harvest field. 



p. 62. 



THE CITY OF DAVID. 63 

Ruth, will you read the following 
from the Rev. W. M. Thomson,* 
a missionary and traveller? The 
account of the parched com will cer- 
tainly be pleasing : 

" I saw many flocks of sheep and 
goats 7 on these same hills to-day, and 
was vividly reminded of those pas- 
sages in the Bible history in which 
the flocks and the shepherds of 
Bethlehem figure with so much 
interest, as in David's youth, and 
at the birth of Jesus. I was struck 
by, and equally delighted with, an- 
other sight on the plains of Beth- 
lehem. The reapers were in the 
fields cutting barley, and after every 
company were women and children 

* Land and the Book. Vol. ii. 509, 510. 



64 THE HOLY CHILD. 

gleaning, just as Ruth did when 
Boaz came to look at his labourers. 
" Yes, and in the evening you 
might see some poor woman or 
maiden, that had been permitted to 
glean on her own account, sitting 
by the road side, and beating out 
with a stick or a stone what she had 
gathered, as Ruth did. The entire 
scene of Boaz and Ruth might be 
enacted at the present day, by the 
dwellers in Bethlehem, with but 
trifling omissions and variations. 
The salutations that passed between 
the proprietor and the labourers, 
are no exaggeration of modern po- 
liteness. ' The Lord be with you,' 
is merely the ' Allah modicum] of 
ordinary parlance ; and so, too, the 
response, ' The Lord bless thee.' * 



THE CITY OF DAVID. 65 

" The meals, too, are quite in 
keeping — the dipping her morsel in 
the vinegar, and the parched corn. 
Harvest is the time for parched 
corn — not what Ave lads in Ohio 
meant by the words. It is made 
thus : A quantity of the best ears, 
not too ripe, are plucked with the 
stalks attached. These are tied into 
small parcels, a blazing fire is 
kindled with dry grass, and thorn 
bushes, and the corn-heads* are 
held in it until the chaff is mostly 
burned off. The grain is thus suf- 
ficiently roasted to be eaten, and is a 
favourite article all over the country. 
When travelling in harvest time, my 
muleteers have very often thus pre- 
pared parched corn in the evenings 

* Their corn was a kind of wheat. 
6* 



66 THE HOLY CHILD. 

after the tent has been pitched. 
Nor is the gathering of these green 
ears for parching ever regarded as 
stealing. * * * This parched corn 
is often referred to in the Bible. 

" So, also, I have seen my mulet- 
eers, as we passed along the wheat- 
fields, pluck off ears, rub them in 
their hands, and eat the grains 
unroasted, just as the apostles are 
said to have done. Matt. xii. 1, 2. 
This is also allowable. The Phari- 
sees did not object to the thing it- 
self, only to the time when it was 
done." 

Bethlehem was the home of many 
brave men. One of them killed 
Groliath the giant, another one killed 
Goliath's brother. One of Samuel's 
ancestors had lived there, and some 



THE CITY OF DAVID. 67 

of David's "mighties" were from 
the home of his youth. 

There has ever been a lack of 
water near the city, but what there 
is must be very good. The people 
there claim that there is something 
in the water of certain places near 
by, which makes the people healthy, 
sturdy, hardy, and fearless, and it is 
curious enough (says Mr. Thomson) 
"that people of this character have 
ever been connected with Bethle- 
hem." But there is another cause 
to make them so. They have been 
sturdy farmers and fearless shep- 
herds. Just this sort of men grow 
up on such soil. An adventure in 
a dark night would be a common 
thing. They could clamber the 
steep rocks and not be out of breath. 



68 THE HOLY CHILD. 

They would be too active and tough, 
to freeze in a winter night. The 
hot sun would not make them faint 
in the harvest. They could go two 
or three days without eating. A 
swift battle-march would not weary 
them. To kill a bear would be 
nothing to boast of proudly. To 
take a living lion by the beard and 
smite him and slay him, would 
scarcely be worth telling to the 
neighbourhood. At least David did 
not seem to think so while a brave 
shepherd boy. He seems to have 
kept the secret until he was to face 
Groliath. 

]STo doubt, young David often was 
weary with his rambles over the 
hills, learning how to sling stones, 
defending the sheep, and carrying 



THE CITY OF DAVID. 69 

some poor lamb to the fold. And 
when he came to the well at the gate 
of Bethlehem, how sweet and cool 
its water would be ! He felt manly 
and brave after drinking it. Bat I 
scarcely think he loitered to talk 
with the old men at the gate. He 
was one of the busiest of men. Per- 
haps he hastened home to his harp, 
for, no doubt, he had sung noble 
songs there, long before the angels 
sung on the plains to the shepherds. 
Few wells were, to him, like that at 
the gate. And no wonder he once 
sighed, when in the cave near to his 
native town, with a fearful array of 
Philistines on the plain of Rephaim, 
and said, " Oh that one would give 
me drink of the water of the well 
of Bethlehem that is at the gate !" 






70 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Three of his "mighties" broke 
through the host of the Philistines, 
and brought him water from that 
very well, but he would not drink 
it. Not at such a price ! It had 
almost cost them their lives. It was 
like their own blood. No, he would 
not drink it, but poured it out as an 
offering to the Lord. He was thank- 
ful that such brave men were his 
friends, and took courage. 

David, the shepherd boy, was 
anointed king at the same town where 
the Great King was born, the Shep- 
herd of his people. Saul was n6t 
to be the true king, nor were any of 
his sons to succeed him. The Lord 
told Samuel, the prophet, that he 
had chosen one of the sons of Jesse 
the Bethlehemite. He sent Sam- 



THE CITY OF DAVID. 71 

uel to anoint him. Samuel went 
to Bethlehem, and the Elders trem- 
bled at his coming. What had 
they clone that the Lord's prophet - 
should visit them ? He assured 
them that he came peaceably, to offer 
sacrifice to the Lord. All things 
were prepared for the solemn act. 
The people came. Jesse came with 
seven of his sons. He seems not 
to have thought of bringing the boy 
David, and left him to watch the 
flocks. The family of Jesse was set 
apart. Samuel knew not who was 
to be the chosen one. He first 
looked on Eliab the oldest and 
thought, " This is he." But no! "The 
Lord said unto Samuel, Look not 
on his countenance, or on the height 
of his stature : because I have re- 



72 THE HOLY CHILD. 

fused him : for the Loed seeth not 
as man seeth : for man looketh on 
the outward appearance, but the 
Lord looketh on the heart." Thus 
seven of Jesse's sons passed before 
the prophet, but he said, " The Lord 
hath not chosen them." 

" Are all thy children here ?" 

" There remaineth yet the young- 
est, and behold, he keepeth the 
sheep." 

11 Send and fetch him, for we will 
not sit down till he come hither." 

David was brought. He was 
ruddy and had fair eyes. It was 
a pleasure to look on his face. How 
artless and unsuspecting must the 
shepherd boy have stood before the 
man of Grod ! And the Lord said, 
" Arise, anoint him, for this is he." 



THE CITY OF DAVID. 73 

Henceforth David was prophet and 
king. The Spirit of the Lord was 
upon him. The next time David 
went away from Bethlehem, he took 
some presents to Saul, and played 
on his harp, to soothe the troubled 
spirit of the angry warrior. 

Bethlehem, then, was no mean 
city. Its highest honour was the 
birth of Christ, the most astonish- 
ing event that ever occurred in the 
universe. 

" Happy the country, but more 
happy the heart, in which Christ is 
born! One city alone had this 
privilege, but every soul may have 

it." 

7 



74 THE HOLY CHILD, 



CHAPTER VI. 

GOOD TIDINGS OF GKEAT JOY. 

11 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise : 
When as his mother Mary was espoused to 
Joseph, before they came together, she was 
found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then 
Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not 
willing to make her a public example, was minded 
to put her away privily. But while he thought 
on these things, behold the angel of the Lord 
appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, 
thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee 
Mary thy wife ; for that which is conceived in 
her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring 
forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS : 
for he shall save his people from their sins. 
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled 
which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, 
saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, 



GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY. 75 

and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call 
his name Emmanuel ; which, being interpreted, 
is, God with us. Then Joseph, being raised 
from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had 
bidden him, and took unto him his wife : and knew 
her not till she had brought forth her first-born 
son : and he called his name Jesus " — Matt. 
i. 18-25. 

" And it came to pass in those days, that there 
went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all 
the world should be taxed. ( And this taxing 
was first made when Cyrenius was governor of 
Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into 
his own city. And Joseph also went up from 
Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, 
unto the city of David, which is called Bethle- 
hem, (because he was of the house and lineage 
of David,) to be taxed with Mary his espoused 
wife, being great with child. And so it was, 
that, while they were there, the days were ac- 
complished that she should be delivered. And she 
brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped 
him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a 
manger ; because there was no room for them 
in the inn." — Luke ii. 1-7. 



76 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Christian men, rejoice and sing, 

Tis the birth-day of a King. 

Night of sadness ; morn of gladness, 

After many troubles sore 

Morn of gladness evermore. 

Midnight scarcely passed and over, 

Drawing to this holy morn, 

Very early, very early, Christ was born. 

Sing out with bliss, His name is this, 

EMMANUEL ; 

As was foretold in days of old 
By Gabriel. 

Old Christmas Carol. 

We know nothing of the infancy 
of Abraham or David, Elijah or 
Paul. It was not necessary to know. 
But it was important to know of 
the birth, annunciation, and con- 
secration of our Lord Jesus. These 
are recorded with the most delicate 
care. Only a most vulgar and 
corrupt mind can pervert the beau- 
tiful record in the first chapters of 



GOOD TIDINGS OF GKEAT JOY. 77 

Luke and Matthew. It shows us 
how pure and honest and reverent 
were the minds of Joseph and Mary. 
It tells us the sacred love they bore 
to each other. How just, and tender- 
hearted, how frank and honourable 
was Joseph ! How modest, how art- 
less, how conscious of virtue was the 
virgin Mary ! To the pure they are 
pure. Mary knew that the angel 
Grabriel could not lie. She could not 
be deceived as Eve was by Satan the 
fallen angel. Her son should have 
God for his father, and he should 
be called the Son of Grod. With 
Grod nothing true and holy is impos- 
sible. Her son should be her 
Saviour, and in her song of joy she 
sung his praise. He too should be 

the son, or descendant, of David. 
7* 



78 THE HOLY CHILD. 

As men might dispute this, and did 
dispute it, it was necessary to be 
able to prove that Joseph and Mary 
were of David's lineage. Thus you 
see why these lists of names are 
given. They are of great account. 
Thus you see Grod's design in the 
Roman census, for Joseph and 
Mary went to Bethlehem and en- 
rolled their names as descendants 
of David. And Jesus, too, must be 
born in Bethlehem. 

But the time of year is hidden 
from our knowledge, lest we should 
make too much of it. It could 
hardly have been our Christmas- day, 
for shepherds would not be watching 
their flocks by night at so cold a 
season. It would have been a bad 
time for the census. Every month 



GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY. 79 

of the vear has been fixed as the 
time by different learned men. No 
one can tell. It is not important. 
All necessary truth is clear. The 
known fact is, Christ was born a 
Saviour. This is all important. 

Bethlehem seems to have been 
crowded with people at the time of 
the enrolment. Never, perhaps, 
were there so many people there 
before. Many came from afar to 
the chief city of their father's tribe. 
They probably came in large com- 
panies to avoid robbers along the 
route. It was like many caravans 
coming one after another. 

The Inn, or Khan, or Caravansery 
was crowded; this does not mean a 
hotel, where the traveller paid a 
landlord for his lodging. It was 



80 THE HOLY CHILD. 

a place for shelter, rest, and safety. 
Generally the oriental inn is built 
round an open square. It has stalls 
for cattle, and often over these are 
chambers for travellers. There is 
often a well of water in the enclosed 
space. The caravans come, and 
men, horses, camels, and mules, 
find lodging there and take care 
of themselves. There is no master 
of ceremonies, and nothing to pay. 
There must have been much merry 
and much serious talking in the inn 
of Bethlehem, the night that the 
company from Nazareth arrived, 
for the place was rich with history. 
Those not merry over the toils of 
their journey, could be serious over 
the brave deeds of their fathers. 
Did they talk about the coming One 



GOOD TIDIXGS OF GEEAT JOY. 81 

with hearts burning in them ? Some 
of them might yet see the Christ. 

Joseph and Mary were on the 
way from Nazareth. The road was 
about eighty miles long. Few 
women in her delicate situation 
would have come the long route. 
And why did she come? Perhaps 
there was some little property there 
in her name. We think not how- 
ever. Perhaps the emperor ordered 
both men and women to come, and 
she wished to be " subject unto the 
higher powers." Perhaps only the 
women of the family of David were 
required to be enrolled, so that the 
full number might be known . Even 
Augustus and Herod may have 
been interested to make such an 
order, as a great Prince was to rise 



82 THE HOLY CHILD. 

from it. Perhaps, as " all the people" 
were going from her home, she was 
not willing to be left there alone. All 
these may be true. But the great 
reason was, God intended her to be 
at Bethlehem. She was led by his 
unseen hand. 

Did they come through Samaria 
along the route Jesus afterward 
trod ? Did they rest at Jacob's well? 
Did they linger at Shiloh and talk 
of its history ? Did they drink of 
the springs that fed the Cherith, the 
brook of Elijah ? Did they cast a 
wishful eye on the Temple in 
passing through Jerusalem ? Ah, 
we know not. Perhaps they came 
by way of the Jordan and Jericho. 
There is no parade about their 
journey, as there would be now with 



GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY. 83 

many persons. Their toils and 
sorrows, their happy sights and 
recalling of pleasant ceremonies, are 
not told us. They are hidden as 
much as possible, that Jesus may 
be all in all. 

No one met them at the gate of 
Bethlehem to point them to a wel- 
come home. The Lord could have 
put it into the heart of some dweller 
there, to prepare for their coming, 
and to show them " a large upper 
room furnished." But he did not. 
We might suppose it becoming, 
that Jesus should have been born 
in a palace, where the room would 
be spacious, splendid, carpeted, 
gilded, and curtained with damask, 
and the cradle a costly masterpiece 



84 THE HOLY CHILD. 

of art. But the Lord did not so 
think. 

. There was no room at the inn. 
No one was willing to give place to 
them. Mary did not appear sinless 
and sainted to them. No doubt 
they seemed poor and obscure, the 
mere relics of David's family. No 
one came into the streets and said, 
" Come in, ye blessed of the Lord." 
Mary was weary, and glad to go to 
any place of secure repose. The 
daughter of David finds no soft 
couch, no servant to unloose a 
sandal, no kind matron to give her 
" of the finest of the wheat and 
honey out of the rock." 

Where did they find a resting 
place ? Some say in a cave near by, 
used as a stall for cattle and horses, 



GOOD TIDINGS OF GKEAT JOY. 85 

a grotto where, centuries after, Je- 
rome wrote some of his books. 
There are now such stalls in the 
rock, and travellers have seen cattle 
in them. But we do not think they 
went to a cave, although Jerome 
thought so. The good learned man 
may have been mistaken. 

Others think they went to one of 
the sheds or stalls adjoining the inn. 
There was no room in the part of 
the inn intended for travellers, and 
they sought refuge with the tame 
and friendly animals. In those 
days this was not so strange as it 
would seem to us. Even now in 
that country a man often sleeps by 
his horse. A whole family some- 
times lie pillowed against the horse 
they love. Did you never see a lit- 



86 THE HOLY CHILD. 

tie cot or cabin with only a parti- 
tion between the family and the 
horses and cattle? It is not very 
strange even in this country. 

The Rev. Mr. Thomson says, " It is 
my impression that the birth actu- 
ally took place in an ordinary house 
of some common peasant, and that 
the babe was laid in one of the man- 
gers, such as are still found in the 
dwellings of the farmers of this re- 
gion" (i. e. Bethlehem). But what 
of all this? God did not intend 
that we should know the precise 
place, lest we pay too great reverence 
to it. He who let no man know 
where Moses was buried, let none 
of us know just where Christ was 
born. Notice, Matthew says that 
the wise men found the babe in a 



GOOD TIDINGS OF GKEAT JOY. 87 

house. (Chap. ii. 11.) Was he re- 
moved then from a stall ? 

This we do know. They were in 
Bethlehem several days. During 
this time, Jesus was born in a very 
humble place. Many a poor cotter's 
child has been wrapped in better 
clothes and laid upon a softer couch. 
JNo cradle rocks for him, no tender 
nurse lulls him to rest. Moses lay 
softly in his little ark, but Jesus 
was laid in a manger. It is nonsense 
to suppose that the Romanists have 
any pieces of that manger. They 
pretend to have pieces of the cross, 
and the nails ; yes, pounds of nails ; 
and even some of the darkness of 
Egypt, in a bottle ! Relics of this 
sort are foolish things. 

Jesus was born poor. Though 



88 THE HOLY CHILD. 

lie was rich in his glory, yet for our 
sakes he became poor, that we, 
through his poverty, might be made 
rich in bliss. He had no rich 
friends, until he lay in a rich 
man's grave, but he had pious pa- 
rents, and they are better than 
wealth. It is no disgrace to be 
poor. Never be ashamed of poor 
parents. Jesus was not. 

George Canning rose from hum- 
ble station to be the poet, the wit, 
the orator, the ambassador, the 
statesman, and the prime minister 
of Great Britain. But he never 
forgot the mother who had been 
poor. When busy at a foreign court, 
he wrote a letter to her every week. 
He was ever kind to her. He could 
not elevate her above her former 



GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY. 89 

tastes and habits. She could not 
ascend to him, but he could grace- 
fully come down to her. He often 
left the circle of high life in London, 
to pay her a visit, and give delight 
to her humble friends, his cousins 
and the village cottagers. This is 
truly honourable. 

How lowly and how meek was 
Jesus! He humbled himself. "The 
child who is born in a cellar or 
garret finds this Saviour stooping to 
his case." He was willing to be 
born in the meanest place ; willing 
to go to the poorest and most de- 
graded people to do them good ; 
willing to be pointed at as the friend 
of sinners, to die in all the shame 
and disgrace of a cross. Though 
Almighty, he appeared as a help- 
8 * 



90 THE HOLY CHILD, 

less babe ; though the most rich, he 
became the most poor ; the Lord of 
glory came as a servant; the Son 
of Grod was the Son of Mary. David's 
Lord lay in a manger in David's city. 
Every child, every man and wo- 
man ought to know this. Here is 
the first lesson of " Grod manifest in 
the flesh." " The word was made 
flesh and dwelt among us." Our 
salvation depends on the Incarna- 
tion of Christ. Only the Son of 
Grod could redeem us. He could 
do this only by living and dying for 
us. He could live and die for us 
only by being born as he was in 
Bethlehem. Here is the " Morning 
Star." On Calvary we may behold 
him as the " Sun of Righteousness." 



GOOD TIDINGS OF GEEAT JOY. 91 

The bird first breathes beneath a sheltering wing, 
And nestles warm beneath a downy breast ; 
The little foxes in the burrow rest ; 
But in a manger lies the Heavenly King : 
And so through life, until he left the dead, 
He had not where to rest his Holy head. 



92 THE HOLY CHILD. 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE NIGHT WATCH AND THE MOKN- 
ING SONG. 

And there were in the same country shep- 
herds abiding in the field, keeping watch over 
their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the 
Lord came upon them, and the glory of the 
Lord shone round about them ; and they were 
sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 
Fear not : for behold, I bring you good tidings 
of great joy, which shall be to all people. For 
unto you is born this day, in the city of David, 
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this 
shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the 
babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a 
manger. And suddenly there was with the an- 
gel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising 
God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, 
and on earth peace, good will toward men. And 



NIGHT WATCH, MOENING SONG. 93 



it came to pass, as the angels were gone away 
from them into heaven, the shepherds said one 
to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, 
and see this thing which is come to pass, which 
the Lord hath made known unto us. And they 
came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, 
and the babe lying in a manger. And when 
they had seen it, they made known abroad the 
saving which was told them concerning this 
child. And all they that heard it wondered at 
those things which were told them by the 
shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, 
and pondered them in her heart. And the 
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God 
for all the things that they had heard and seen, 
as it was told unto them. Luke ii. 8 — 20. 

Blessed night, when first the plain, 
Echoed with the joyful strain, 
" Peace has come to earth again." 
Happy shepherds, on whose ear 
Fell the tidings glad and dear, 
" God to man is drawing near." 

BONAR. 

We love shepherds. We fajicy 
they live easy, quiet, and happy 



94 THE HOLY CHILD. 

lives. They love the lambs, and 
the lambs love them. They learn 
every face in the flock, and give 
names to them. They often fancy 
a certain sheep looks like some per- 
son, and they give it his name. 
The sheep learn their names, and 
come at the shepherd's call. At a 
strange voice they flee away. John 
x. 1 — 5. 

Abel was a keeper of sheep. So 
were nearly all the great men of 
the Bible down to the time of Moses 
and Job. The title of shepherd 
was one of honour. It was often 
given to good and tender-hearted 
kings. David used it in a higher 
sense. "The Lord is my Shep- 
herd." Jesus said, " I am the 
good Shepherd." 



NIGHT WATCH, MORNING SONG. 95 

Many shepherds have become 
celebrated men. Job was the great- 
est man of the east, in his day. 
Moses left his flocks in Midian to 
be a leader of the Hebrews, a law- 
giver, and inspired writer. David 
became the greatest of the Hebrew 
kings. Amos became a prophet. 

James Ferguson of Scotland was 
a shepherd boy. During the day, 
when his flock was feeding around 
him, he was busy making models 
of mills, a globe, a clock, and a watch. 
At night he would go to the fields 
with a blanket about him, and a 
lighted candle by which to see his 
notes, and for hours he would lie on 
the grass and study the stars. He 
became a quite successful artist, a 



96 THE HOLY CHILD. 

popular author, and wise philoso- 
pher. 

Good shepherds were brave. They 
cared for the sheep. They were 
ready to lay down life in defending 
the flock. They often had downright 
and desperate fights with wild beasts 
and robbers. A few years ago a 
shepherd, near Mount Tabor, was 
hacked to pieces by robbers, and 
died among the sheep he was defend- 
ing.* The Great Shepherd laid 
down his life, and still defends his 
people. 

May we cite another ? 

" Let us wander through the fields 
Where Cimabue found a shepherd boy 
Tracing his idle fancies on the ground. " 

This shepherd boy was Giotto, 
* Land and the Book. I. 302. 



NIGHT WATCH, MOUSING SONG. 97 

who became the greatest painter of 
his time. His picture of Mary 
presenting the infant Jesus in the 
Temple was much admired. No 
one can paint the Holy Child as he 
really appeared. We must get our 
idea of him from something else 
than pictures. 

Near Bethlehem there were " shep- 
herds abiding in the field, and keep- 
ing watch over their flock by night." 
They were devout and pious men. 
They worshipped the Grod above the 
stars. JSTo doubt thev were waiting 
for the coming of Christ. They were 
to have the first honour of hearing 
the glad news of that night, seeing 
the babe in the morning, and being 
the first preachers of the joyful 

tidings during the day. 
9 



98 THE HOLY CHILD. 

There were four night- watches. 
Our Lord mentions them : " Watch, 
for ye know not when the master 
of the house cometh ; at even, or at 
midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or 
in the morning" ( Mark xiii. 35.) 
The first ended at nine o'clock, and 
each was three hours long. In 
summer, the first and last watch 
were about half in the light. 

The Jewish writers say that it 
was common to keep the flocks at 
pasture from March till November. 
During this season they were not 
folded at night. The shepherds 
often had little tents or cottages in 
the fields, and sometimes their fam- 
ilies dwelt there in them. There 
the watchers lodged, each one taking 



NIGHT WATCH, MORNING SONG. 99 

his turn, as is common among 
soldiers and seamen. 

Jesus was seen of angels. That 
very night, while the shepherds 
were watching their flocks, the 
angels were looking on the babe of 
Bethlehem. The heathen poets and 
moralists never had the idea of an 
angel. So pure, holy, lovely, swift, 
and invisible a being could be 
known to us only by Revelation. 
Angels came from heaven. The 
book that tells of them came from 
God. All their names, told to us, 
end in El, a name of God. You 
r ead of Michael and Gabriel. Angels 
have been seen, but only in a mira- 
cle. Jacob saw angels. Zacharias 
saw one. Mary saw Gabriel him- 
self. Joseph heard an angel's voice. 



100 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Infants have some association with 
angels unknown to us. Our Lord 
said, " Their angels do always be- 
hold the face of my Father which 
is in heaven." Jesus is seen of 
angels, and they hasten to tell the 
sight. 

The shepherds were not watching 
for angels. It w r as yet night. No 
travellers were then expected to 
cross the plain. The flocks lay 
sleeping on the dewy grass. No 
bleating voice was heard. The wind 
was still. The watchers sat silent 
with perhaps a solemn thought of 
wonder as they gazed on those stars, 
on which Abraham looked and read 
the promises. What promises yet 
to come ! When lo ! a startling 
vision ! the angel of the Lord stood 



NIGHT WATCH, MOKNING SONG. 101 

above them. They saw him. Was 
he Gabriel? An angel of light in- 
deed. 

And the glory of the Lord shone 
round about them. It must have 
been a bright light. Not a bril- 
liance afar off, like the northern 
lights, but upon the ground where 
they stood. Perhaps it was like 
the light Saul of Tarsus saw, brighter 
than the sun could make at noon. 
It came suddenly, and Saul could 
not see for the glory of that light. 
Such a dazzling brightness, near at 
hand, was the sign of Jehovah's 
presence. It had in olden times 
filled the tabernacle. God dwelleth 
in light. 

The shepherds were struck with 
sudden fear. We can fancy the 
9 * 



102 THE HOLY CHILD. 

flocks rising, startled to their feet^ 
surprised at the unusual morn. 
The men felt as Moses did when he 
suddenly saw the burning bush. 
They were ready to shrink away. 
How the evil of all their lives would 
flash upon their minds in such a 
moment! But such a light was a 
token of (rod's mercy. It was 
such to Moses, and to Saul of 
Tarsus. 

" Fear not," said the angel, just 
as was said to Zacharias and to 
Mary. "Fear not: for behold I 
bring you good tidings of great joy, 
which shall be to all people. For 
unto you is born this day, in the 
city of David, a Saviour which is 
Christ the Lord." 

Grlad tidings to us, and to all who 



NIGHT WATCH, MORNING SONG. 103 

hear the good news of salvation. 
This voice shall roll through all the 
world, and echo through all the 
universe. " Unto you" said the 
angel. Unto us, the gospel also 
declares, Christ is born to us. 
Mary's son is the sinner's Saviour. 
The light of the world had come. 

To us a child of hope is born. 

To us a son is given ; 
The Wonderful, the Counsellor, 

The mighty Lord of heaven. 

Thus an angel preached the gos- 
pel. An angel called the babe of 
Bethlehem a Saviour. An angel, 
who could not be mistaken, called 
him Divine, The Loed. An angel, 
who knew him before he left the 
glory which he had with the Father, 
had, to Mary, called him the Son of 



104 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Grod. An angel, who had wor- 
shipped him, said that he was the 
Messiah, whom the nation had long 
expected. Truly the angel was a 
preacher of theology. 

The fear of the shepherds turns 
to wonder. They cannot say a word, 
nor ask, " What sign showest thou?" 
But they shall have a sign. If will- 
ing to do their duty, they shall see 
and believe. The sign is the sight it- 
self. They may know the babe by his 
humble dress, and by the manger. 
Thus we point to the Saviour. You 
may know him by his humility, his 
sorrows, his cross. He is the Great 
Sufferer. 

Another sign appears, to show 
that these men cannot be mistaken. 
There is joy in heaven. One an- 



NIGHT WATCH, MOENIXG SONG. 105 

gel told the glad tidings, and nqw a 
heavenly host come to sing their joy. 
It seems as if the heavens were 
opened, and all the angels coming- 
down to celebrate the Saviour's 
birth. It was a more glorious hour 
than when, at Creation, "the morn- 
ing stars sang together and all the 
sons of Grod shouted for joy." Im- 
agine it, if you can. The like was 
never known before, nor will be, 
until Christ shall come again in his 
glory and all the holy angels with 
him. 

On wings of light, on wings of flame, 

The glorious hosts of Zion came, 

High heaven with songs of triumph rung, 

While thus they struck their harps and sung, 

" Glory to Grod in the highest, and 
on earth peace, good will to men." 



106 THE HOLY CHILD. 

The men have forgotten their 
fears. Such music has brought 
great joy. The one long looked-for 
is now come. The angels have fin- 
ished their errand. Thev cannot 

t/ 

linger. No angel was ever known 
to remain on earth longer than his 
message required. Even they have 
no time to call their own. Indolence 
is a sin. 

When the angels are gone away 
from them into heaven, the shep- 
herds speak one to another. They 
provoke one another to good works. 
They must do what the angel said, 
and go at once. They did not say, 
" Let us go and see whether this be 
so." INTo, not a doubt was in their 
minds. They knew the babe was 
in the city. The Lord had said so 



NIGHT WATCH, MORNING SONG. 107 

by the angel. " Let us now go even 
unto Bethlehem and see this thing 
which is come to pass, which the 
Lord hath made known to us." Not 
at noon, but now. They are not 
ashamed to go and see Jesus. They 
are not fearful of their worldly 
affairs. The Lord will take care of 
their flocks. ]STo lion shall be there, 
nor ravenous beast. If all, who 
hear of Christ the Saviour Lord, 
would be as ready to " come and 
see" as these shepherds, there would 
not be an unbeliever in all Chris- 
tendom. 

They came with haste. They ran 
perhaps, as Peter and John did in 
going to the sepulchre. They found 
the place. They saw Joseph and 
Mary. They saw the babe. There 



108 THE HOLY CHILD. 

were the signs, the clothes, and the 
manger, not a halo of brightness 
about his head. This halo was in- 
vented by the Italian painters. It 
was never seen about the brows of 
Mary nor of Jesus. No doubt they 
told Joseph and Mary of the voices 
and visions on the plains. 

They too had no time to lose. 
They returned, not boasting and 
praising themselves, but giving Grod 
the glory. The news was too good 
to be kept secret. They made known 
abroad the saying which was told 
them concerning this child. They 
became preachers and heralds of 
the gospel among their neighbours. 
They told not only what they had 
seen, but the sayings they had heard. 
They were ready to say, as Andrew 



NIGHT WATCH, MORNING SONG. 109 

and Philip afterward, " Come and 



see." 



Many wondered at the news. 
Many did that and no more ; many 
were too proud to go and see the 
Holy Child. They chose to be igno- 
rant and faithless. We are apt to 
think that, if we had lived in the 
days of Christ, we should have be- 
lieved and loved him. Probably 
we should only have wondered. 
Most of men did so then. Many 
now " wonder and perish." We 
are not told of another person about 
Bethlehem, who went to see the 
young child : not a priest, nor scribe, 
nor Pharisee. 

But while many wondered, Mary 
pondered ; she weighed the words. 

She put this and that together, to 
10 



110 THE HOLY CHILD. 

know what they all meant. She 
left the honour of her reproachless 
name to Grod, and thought of her son 
and Saviour. She kept every saying 
about him; she was not forgetful 
of what an angel had told her, and 
was willing to learn from these 
humble shepherds. She was glad 
that if no one else took notice of 
the Holy Child, angels and shep- 
herds did. Her heart was full of 
joy. Every mother notices what 
is said of her child, and treasures 
up all that is pleasant in her heart. 
So did Mary. How, then, could 
she fail to learn that he was the Son 
of God? 

A remembrance of these names 
and offices of " the Saviour Christ 
the Lord," will be to us as a guiding 



NIGHT WATCH, MORNING SONG. Ill 

star in the sky to the mariner 
tossed on the sea. In a night of sin 
or of grief, they will be "glad tidings 
of great joy." After our night 
watch, they will he our morning 
song. 

The shepherds saw him who is 
the Good Shepherd of the soul. 
Jesus had no name more touching 
and beautiful. He seeks us when 
lost. He calls us. He names us. 
He carries us. He folds us. He 
loves us. He lays down his life and 
takes it again for us. Happy the 
soul that can say, " The Lord is my 
Shepherd.' ' 

I was a wandering sneep, 

I would not be controlled ; 
But now I love my Shepherd's voice, 

I love, I love the fold. 



112 THE HOLY CHILD. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE MME AKD THE DOYES. 

And when eight days were accomplished for 
the circumcising of the child, his name was 
called Jesus, which was so named of the angel 
before he was conceived in the womb. And 
when the days of her purification according to 
the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought 
him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord ; 
As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every 
male that openeth the womb shall be called holy 
to the Lord ; and to offer a sacrifice according 
to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A 
pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons. Luke 
ii. 21—24. 

11 Jesus, the name that calms our fears, 
That bids our sorrows cease." 

The Holy Child was now eight 
days old. He was consecrated to 



THE NAME AND THE DOVES. 113 

the Lord in the solemn rites of the 
Jewish Church. Hannah thus dedi- 
cated Samuel to the Lord. Many 
children are now dedicated to the 
Lord in baptism. It is certainly as 
proper and important to devote 
children to the Lord now, as it was 
in the days of Abraham, David, and 
our Lord Jesus. Grod commanded 
it then. "We think he commands it 
now. But if we have been bap tized, 
let us consecrate ourselves also to 
God. 

A name was given to the Holy 
Child. Mary and Joseph knew 
what the name was to be. The an- 
gel had said, " Thou shalt call his 
name Jesus." Six persons, men- 
tioned in the Bible, were named 
before they were born. Isaac, Ish- 
10* 



114 THE HOLY CHILD. 

mael, Josiah, Cyrus, John the Bap- 
tist, and Jesus Christ. There is no 
name like that of Jesus. It is a 
Greek word. The Hebrew name 
Joshua is the same. It was a com- 
mon name, in both these forms, 
when Jesus was born. But only 
one person was called Jesus Christ. 
Jesus means Saviour. Christ means 
the Anointed. The Holy Child was 
the Anointed Saviour. God gave 
him the name. " He hath given 
him a name which is above every 
name, that at the name of Jesus 
every knee should bow." This does 
not mean, that we should bow our 
heads when that name is pronounced 
in church. It means that some time 
all the world will confess that Jesus 
is the Christ, the Son of God ; either 



THE NAME AND THE DOVES. 115 

confess it to him as their Judge, or 
their King. Our only Saviour is 
our King Jesus. 

The more we love Jesus, the 
sweeter that name will sound. 
When the late Dr. Hope of Prince- 
ton college was dying, he began to 
repeat the lines, 

" A guilty, weak, and helpless worm, 
On thy kind arms I fall ;" 

when his power of utterance seemed 
to fail. His sorrow- stricken wife, 
who was by his bedside, finished the 
stanza thus : 

" Be thou my strength and righteousness, 
My Saviour and my all." 

" Say Jesus" said her dying hus- 
band; and then breathed his last. 
In our hymn book, it reads as he 



116 THE HOLY CHILD. 

corrected it. The dying man was, 
no doubt, thinking how sweet that 
name Jesus sounded in his ears. 
Perhaps that rich verse was in his 
mind: " Thou shalt call his name 
Jesus, for he shall save his people 
from their sins." 

This name was written on the 
cross. It was the name by which 
the apostles called the Lord Christ. 
Our Saviour, after his ascension to 
heaven, once spoke his name to a 
wicked man. Saul of Tarsus was 
persecuting the Church. He was 
one day struck to the ground by a 
miracle. He was astonished. He 
asked, "Who art thou, Lord?" 
What an answer! " I am Jesus !" 
Yes, Jesus called himself by the 
sweetest, tenderest name he had. 



THE NAME AND THE DOVES. 117 

He would win Saul to love him. It 
was the name of love and friend- 
ship. This Saul became Paul the 
Apostle, and ever afterward loved 
this tender, holy name. 

This is the name by which he 
invites us to follow him, believe him, 
love him, and be like him. Every 
reader is old enough to say, 

I lay my sins on Jesus, 

The spotless Lamb of God ; 
He bears them all, and frees us 

From the accursed load. 
I lay my griefs on Jesus, 

My burdens and my cares ; 
He from them all releases, 

He all my sorrows shares. 

I long to be like Jesus, 
Meek, loving, lowly, mild ; 

I long to be like Jesus, 
The Father's Holy Child. 



118 THE HOLY CHILD. 

I long to be with Jesus, 
Amid the heavenly throng, 

To sing with saints his praises, 
And learn the angels' song. 

A month passed away, and the 
Holy Child was forty days old. It 
was then necessary for Mary to go 
to Jerusalem, and there offer a sacri- 
fice for herself, and also present 
her holy son publicly to the Lord 
in the temple. 

Jerusalem was six miles from 
Bethlehem. How Joseph and Mary 
went, and when they arrived, we are 
not told. ]STo doubt they started 
early in the day. As they came to 
the temple they probably saw men 
at work, repairing or rebuilding 
some parts of it. Perhaps they 
came in time to attend the morning 



THE NAME AND THE DOYES. 119 

sacrifice. Suppose we visit the 
temple at this early hour. 

We enter the holy and beautiful 
house, while yet there are shadows 
of night about it. "We enter the 
court of the priests. We see the 
fire still burning on the great altar. 
There are a few watchmen in the 
court. Soon some priests come in 
from their rooms. They wash and 
put on white robes of linen. Then 
comes one who is called the Presi- 
dent. He tells the priests what to 
do. One renews the fire on the altar. 
Others go about with lighted torches 
to see whether every thing is in 
right order, and when they meet 
we hear them say, 

" Is all safe and well?" 

" Yes, all is well." 



120 THE HOLY CHILD. 

One is appointed to kill the morn- 
ing victim, another to sprinkle the 
blood, another to carry the sacrifice 
to the altar. Then the President 
thus orders : " Go and see whether 
it be time to kill the sacrifice." 
Some one goes to the top of one of 
the buildings about the court, and 
when he sees that the sun is about 
rising, replies, "It is fair day." 
" But is the heaven bright all up 
to Hebron ?" " Yes." " Go then," 
(says the President,) " and bring the 
lamb, from the lamb-room." 

In a room near at hand are kept 
the lambs for the altar. There are 
generally as many as six kept in it. 
One is now brought into the court ; 
while it is trembling and shivering 
in fear, men examine it with candles 



THE NAME AND THE DOYES. 121 

to see if there is any blemish upon 
it. There must be a perfect lamb 
as a type of a perfect Saviour. 

The gates of the court are now 
opened, and the front doors of the 
temple are unfolded. The Levites 
enter, and the people come into the 
house of the Lord to worship. The 
lamb is slain. The incense is 
kindled into a flame. Soon the 
lamb is burning on the altar. 
Clouds of fragrant incense rise, and 
the people unite in silent prayer. 
They feel that the " sacrifices of Grod 
are a broken spirit." From such 
hearts as those of Simeon and Anna 
ascends the incense of prayer, far 
more pleasing to God than the 

sweetest fragrance from the altar. 
11 



122 THE HOLY CHILD. 

It is nine or ten o'clock before this 
service is finished. 

Mary, the young mother, was not 
allowed to come into the temple 
until she brought an offering to the 
Lord. It seems she was not able 
to furnish a lamb, and, as a poor 
person, she provided two doves. 
They were either such as are called 
turtle doves,* or another kind called 
pigeons. They were, no doubt, 
bought at the place where men kept 
and sold them for this purpose. 
Mary was not ashamed of her pov- 
erty. She did not try to appear 
rich, nor did she wish to appear 

* This dove is so. called, because it makes a 
low moaning sound as if in distress. The word 
turtle, is from " tur tur" (toor-toor), in imitation 
of its low murmur. 



THE NAME AND THE DOYES. 123 

poor, unless she was poor. Such 
pride is foolish and wrong. 

The dove coming to the ark with 
the olive leaf, was not more affect- 
ing to Noah than these innocent and 
beautiful birds were to Mary. One 
was to be her burnt-offering, and 
was to be offered on the altar. The 
other was for a sin-offering, and 
some of its blood was to be sprin- 
kled in the holy place. Poor birds ! 
-only types of the Saviour whom 
Mary had borne in her arms. 

When Mary came to the door of 
the sanctuary, she gave these birds 
to the priest, and they were slain. 
She then might enter the temple. 
The Holy Child was then taken in 
with Joseph and Mary, so that he 



124 THE HOLY CHILD. 

might be presented to the Lord, as 
her first-born son. Why was this ? 
When the first-born of the Egyp- 
tians were slain, on that awful night, 
when the angel of death passed over 
the houses of the Hebrews, but 
passed into the houses of their 
enemies, the first-born of the He- 
brews were spared. All these chil- 
dren were to be the Lord's. They 
were his for the priesthood. But 
the tribe of Levi was set apart to 
that office, in place of as many of 
the first-born as the tribe would 
number. Yet the number of the 
first-born was the greatest. Hence 
the custom arose, of making an 
offering for these children so that 
they might live with their parents, 
and not be set apart among the sons 



THE NAME AND THE DOYES. 125 

of Levi. It was redeeming them 
from the service of the temple. 
Mary did this also, when she of- 
fered the doves. Perhaps also she 
and Joseph paid, to the temple, the 
sum of five shekels of silver.* Je- 
sus is sometimes called "the first- 
born among many brethren." 

* About three dollars. 
11* 



126 THE HOLY CHILD. 



CHAPTER IX 



simeon's happy day. 



And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, 
whose name was Simeon ; and the same man was 
just and devout, waiting for the consolation of 
Israel ; and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy 
Ghost, that he should not see death before he 
had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by 
the Spirit into the temple : and when the pa- 
rents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him 
after the custom of the law, then took he him 
up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in 
peace, according to thy word : for mine eyes 
have seen thy salvation, which thou hast pre- 
pared before the face of all people ; a light to 
lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy peo- 
ple Israel. And Joseph and his mother mar- 



SIMEONS HAPPY DAY. 127 

veiled at those things which were spoken of him. 
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary 
his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall 
and rising again of many in Israel ; and for a 
sign which shall be spoken against ; (yea, a 
sword shall pierce through thine own soul,) that 
the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the 
daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser ; she 
was of a great age, and had lived with a hus- 
band seven years from her virginity ; and she was 
a widow of about fourscore and four years, which 
departed not from the temple, but served God 
with fastings and prayers night and day. And 
she, coming in that instant, gave thanks likewise 
unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them 
that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. Luke 
ii. 25—38. 

Yes, soon and for ever we'll see as we're seen, 
And learn the deep meaning of things that have 
been. Monsell. 

There dwelt in Jerusalem at this 
time a good man named Simeon, 
He was just in all his dealings with 



128 THE HOLY CHILD. 

men, and was devotedly pious in 
the sight of God. He was probably 
very old. For years he had hoped 
to see the Messiah come. He waited 
for him, for Jesus would be the " con- 
solation of Israel." All true Israel- 
ites would be glad to see him. 
Simeon was a happy man. He 
loved God, and God loved him. 
The Holy Ghost was upon him. In 
some sure way it was revealed to 
him by the Holy Ghost that he 
should not die until he had seen 
Jesus Christ. Prophets and kings 
had long desired to see their Saviour, 
but died without the sight. Simeon 
should see him. 

While Mary was presenting Je- 
sus to the Lord, Simeon came into 
the temple. The Spirit put it into 



Simeon's happy day. 129 

his heart to go. He seems to have 
known who the Holy Child was. 
How glad was his heart ! He was 
in haste to see this Saviour. He 
took the Holy Child in his arms 
and blessed Grod, and said, " Lord, 
now lettest thou thy servant depart 
in peace according to thy word, for 
mine eyes have seen thy salvation." 
Yes, his eyes saw the Saviour whom 
God sent. They sparkled w r ith de- 
light. It was the gladdest sight of 
his life. He was now ready to die. 
He had seen enough. He had seen 
that Grod's promise was true. 

Nor was this Saviour for him 
alone. He was for all who would 
believe and love him. He was alight 
to lighten the Grentiles. He would 
one day stand near that very tern- 



130 THE HOLY CHILD. 

pie and say, " I am the light of the 
world." He was the glory of the 
people of Israel. No one of all 
that nation was so glorious. No 
one would ever do such wondrous 
things. 

Joseph and Mary marvelled at 
what they saw and heard. To see 
an old man so joyous over a babe, 
and hear him call him his " Salva- 
tion," and appear so ready to 
die, seemed very wonderful. They 
thought and wondered, both at the 
old man and the young child. 

Simeon blessed them. He did 
not worship Mary, nor pray to her, 
nor render thanks to her. Jesus 
alone was worthy to be worshipped. 
No one in those days thought of 
offering praise and prayer to Mary. 



Simeon's happy day. 131 

Simeon then uttered some wondrous 
words : 

" Behold this child is set for the 
fall and rising again of many in 
Israel, and for a sign which shall 
be spoken against ; that the thoughts 
of many hearts may be revealed: 
yea, a sword shall pierce through 
thine own soul also." 

I have change/1 the order of these 
words a little, so that they may be 
better understood. Now let us see 
what they mean. Jesus is set or 
confirmed as a Saviour. It is a fact 
that Jesus is come into the world to 
save sinners. If half the world 
should deny it, yet this is true. If 
blind men should all say that there 
was no sun, yet that would not 
strike the sun from the sky. If 



132 THE HOLY CHILD 

half the world should deny that 
Jesus is the Son of God, still that 
does not make him not divine. He 
is still and ever the Son of God. 

Many shall fall, says Simeon. 
Many of the Jews refused to believe 
that Jesus was the Christ, their Mes- 
siah ; many of them thought that he 
was too poor, meek, and lowly to be 
the Saviour. They thought it a great 
disgrace that he should be called the 
carpenter's son. They thought that 
such a meek and poor man ought 
not to work miracles, and be set up 
as a great teacher, and claim to be 
the Son of God. They were offended 
because Jesus did not suit their own 
wrong notions and opinions. They 
fell into greater unbelief and hatred. 
They fell into sins and persecutions 



simeon's happy day. 133 

• 

against Jesus. They fell into the 
sin of crucifying their Messiah. 
They became very wicked and were 
lost. They were not willing to say, 
We will believe what God says, 
just because he says so. And so 
many persons have done since. It 
is their own fault. They might be- 
lieve, but thev will not. This is 
falling by an abuse of our blessings. 
Many should rise. Many loved 
the Saviour because he was so lowly, 
so meek, so tender hearted. They 
loved him because he went about 
doing good, and could forgive sins, 
and save sinners. They loved him 
because he died for them. They 
rose from their sins. They became 
better men. They followed Jesus. 
They knew that he was the Son of 

12 



134 THE HOLY CHILD. 

God, and their precious Saviour 
They were saved. All such persons 
will rise to heaven. 

Jesus was a sign that should be 
spoken against. Many persons spoke 
against him. They called him by 
evil names. They said he was a 
deceiver, and even said he was a 
blasphemer ! They would not take 
a little pains to find out the truth. 
How they spoke against him in the 
judgment-hall and on Calvary! 
How they abused the disciples! 
Even now some persons speak 
against Jesus ! 

I was once riding in a stage-coach. 
The driver had but one arm. He 
was not a good man, though he knew 
what was right. I overheard what 
he was saying to a friend of his. 



simeon's happy day. 135 

He said that the night before some 
men were speaking against Jesus 
Christ. They made sport of the 
Bible. They took the name of 
Jesus in vain. They drank rum and 
ridiculed the church and all good 
people. Then said he, " I am not 
a good man, but I know the Bible 
is Grod's book ; and let me tell you, 
I won't trust any man who speaks 
against Jesus Christ. No man who 
knows anything about him would 
say that Jesus was only a man like 
other men, and not the Son of Grod. 
I would rather lose the only arm 
I've got, than to talk as they did." 
He was right. I hope what was 
said to him that day did some good. 
Simeon said, that men would thus 
speak against Jesus, that their 



136 THE HOLY CHILD. 

thoughts and hearts might be re- 
vealed. They would show just what 
sort of men they were. Men that 
oppose Jesus show that they have 
very bad hearts. We oppose him 
when we refuse to do what he has 
told us must be done, or we cannot 
be saved. Sometimes the more 
persons, young and old, hear of 
Jesus Christ, the more they show 
forth their wicked hearts. 

While Simeon's lips were trem- 
bling with such strange words, he 
looked with a pitying eye on Mary. 
He seemed to see what evil would 
be done to her divine son, how men 
would oppose him and put him to 
death. Mary would see this and 
be very sorrowful. She would see 
Jesus on the cross. How would a 



simeon's happy day. 137 

mother feel to see her son crucified ? 
Yes, that Holy Child should be a 
great sufferer, in order to be a great 
Saviour. Then he said to Mary, 
" Yea, a sword shall pierce through 
thine own heart also." He meant 
the sword of sorrow. No doubt 
Mary often wept to see what suffer- 
ings Jesus endured. 

Thousands of mothers have sor- 
rows over their children. They 
weep over the cradle, and the couch 
of pain. They too often see their 
children become very wicked, learn- 
ing to swear, and break the Sabbath. 
They try to plead with them, but 
are only grieved to see them more 
wicked. Children sometimes even 
laugh at a mother's tears and plead- 
ings. There is a sense in which 
12* 



138 THE HOLY CHILD. 

every good mother is set for the 
rise and fall of her children, and 
for a sign to be spoken against. 
They thus show what hearts they 
have. Samuel's mother did not 
have to weep over such conduct. 
He did not copy the evil example 
of Eli's sons. When his mother 
made him a little coat, and brought 
it to him, from year to year, she 
found no sword of sorrow piercing 
her heart. The child who obeys a 
good mother will gladden her heart, 
and will be quite sure to become a 
useful and pious man, or woman. 

" This will a mother's heart repay, 
If that loved band, 
By grace sustained, shall often say, 

' Next to God's hand, 
All of true happiness we know, 
Mother, to thy strong love we owe.' " 



SIMEON'S HAPPY DAY. 139 

Remember, however, that Mary- 
would not weep over anything 
wrong in Jesus. He would never 
offend her. She never saw him do 
a wrong act, or heard him speak a 
sinful word. He never had a wrong 
thought. He did no sin. In his 
heart was no sin. She would have 
this comfort always, " My son is 
right . He is never at fault. He suf- 
fers because he is holy and divine.' 7 

No doubt she also felt sorrowful 
because she was a sinner, and her 
son must suffer for her sins. She 
needed, like us, to say, " I lay my 
sins on Jesus.' ' There was no 
saving merit in being the mother of 
her Saviour. 

While Simeon was praising G-od, 
there came a very old woman into 



140 THE HOLY CHILD. 

the temple. She was Anna a pro- 
phetess. She was eighty-four years 
old, and had long been a widow. 
She belonged to the tribe of Asher. 
She loved the temple so much that 
it was like home to her. Every 
day she was there, and perhaps 
often at night. She served God so 
devoutly that she fasted often, and 
" prayed without ceasing." Her 
breath was full of prayer. She 
seemed to say, as David did, " I 
will abide in thy house." " One 
thing have I desired of the Lord, 
that will I seek after ; that I may 
dwell in the house of the Lord all 
the days of my life." Some people 
only visit the house of Grod ; others 
are at home there, and can say, " It 
is good to be here." 



simeon's happy day. 141 

Anna came in and saw the young 
child. Perhaps she came just when 
Jesus was in Simeon's arms. She 
thanked Grod for the sight. So 
glad was her heart, that she could 
not keep the good news to herself. 
She told her friends that the Mes- 
siah was born. They too were 
looking for the Redeemer. Perhaps 
they knew that Simeon should not 
die before he had seen the Saviour. 
They hoped to live as long as he did 
and see him too. Many such devout 
and godly people dwelt then in 
Jerusalem. Probably many of them 
came and saw the Holy Child. 

After this glad day of wonders, 
Joseph and Mary took the young 
child and returned to Bethlehem. 



142 THE HOLY CHILD. 



CHAPTER X. 

THE SAGES AND THE STAK. 

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of 
Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold 
there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem 
saying, Where is he that is born King of the 
Jews ? for we have seen his star in the east, and 
are come to worship him. When Herod the 
king had heard these things, he was troubled, 
and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had 
gathered all the chief priests, and scribes of the 
people together, he demanded of them where 
Christ should be born. And they said unto him, 
In Bethlehem of Judea : for thus it is written 
by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the 
land of Juda, art not the least among the princes 
of Juda : for out of thee shall come a Governor, 
that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, 



THE SAGES AND THE STAR. 143 

when he had privily called the wise men, in- 
quired of them diligently what time the star 
appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem : 
and said. Go and search diligently for the young 
child ; and when ye have found him, bring me 
word again, that I may come and worship him 
also. When they had heard the king, they de- 
parted : and, lo, the star, which they saw in the 
east, went before them, till it came and stood 
over where the young child was. When they 
saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great 
joy. And when they were come into the house, 
they saw the young child with Mary his mother, 
and fell down and worshipped him : and when 
they had opened their treasures, they presented 
unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and 
myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream 
that they should not return to Herod, they de- 
parted into their own country another way. 
Matt. ii. 1—12. 

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, 
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid ; 

Star of the East the horizon adorning, 
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. 

Heber. 



144 THE HOLY CHILD. 

The Holy Child received a wonder- 
ful visit. Wise men came from the 
East to see a babe in Bethlehem, 
and one lying in such a poor cradle. 
But yet there was no parade made 
about it. It was not published 
abroad by every one who wrote of 
the child Jesus. Only one of them 
tells anything about it, and he as 
plainly as possible. Matthew tells 
of the visit of the wise men, and 
Luke tells of the visit of the shep- 
herds. But neither of them knew 
of any such visit from the great and 
wise men of Jerusalem. Christ 
came unto his own, and his own re- 
ceived him not. 

These wise men were called Magi. 
There were such men in the times 
of Daniel, The king of Babylon 




Visit of the wise men to the infant Saviour. p. 144. 



THE SAGES AND THE STAK. 145 

thought these Magi knew almost 
every thing, but he found that Dan- 
iel and his three friends were far 
wiser. In all matters of wisdom 
and learning, they were ten times 
better than all the magicians and 
star-gazers in the realm. God had 
taught them. These Magi were 
once learned men. They did not 
play tricks and try to tell fortunes. 
But afterward the name was given 
to sorcerers and magicians, sooth- 
sayers and fortune-tellers. In this 
bad sense one Simon is called 
Simon Magus. Acts viii. 9 — 25. 

The Magi who came to see the 
Holy Child were certainly wise and 
honest men. It was wise in them 
to come so far to see him, and all 

their conduct was fair and honest. 
13 



146 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Who they were we are not told: 
some have thought they were kings, 
or men who came from royal courts. 
Whence they came we know not ; 
perhaps from Persia, or Arabia. 
How many there were we know not; 
some think three, because they gave 
three sorts of gifts. It matters 
little who they were. It is well to 
notice " that there may be true ser- 
vants of Grod in places where we do 
not expect to find them." 

How did they hear of the Holy 
Child ? The star did not tell them. 
How did they know that the star 
was "his star?" They had heard 
of the expectation of the Jews. They 
knew that a " King of the Jews" 
was to be born. They knew some- 
thing about the prophecy referring to 



THE SAGES AND THE STAE. 147 

Jesus Christ. Perhaps they learned 
something about it, from the descend- 
ants of the ten tribes who were wan- 
dering among the nations : or from 
traditions which men had told to 
one another for ages. Perhaps 
they had heard of Balaam's strange 
prophecy, which he learned in a 
vision : " There shall come a Star 
out of Jacob," * and a Sceptre shall 
rise out of Israel. Out of Jacob 
shall come he that shall have do- 
minion, and shall destroy him that 

* The star referred to Christ. About 130 years 
after Christ, a man arose who called himself Bar- 
cochab, or the Son of a Star. He claimed to be 
the Messiah. But he was a very wicked man. 
After he had deceived many people, they called 
him Bar-cosba, the Son of a Lie ! Our Saviour 
had said that false Christs should come. This 
man was one of the first of that class. 



148 THE HOLY CHILD. 

remaineth of the city." All these 
may have been true. 

It seems to me that Grod revealed 
to them the fact that a King and 
Saviour was to be born among the 
Jews, and put it into their hearts 
to go to worship him. They seem 
to have thought that he was to be 
more than a human child ; a Holy 
Child indeed. They took presents 
and started on the journey. The 
star was the sign when to start, and 
they marched toward Jerusalem. 

The shepherds were guided by 
an angel, for they were familiar 
with accounts of angels ; the Magi 
are guided by a star, for they are 
familiar with the study of the stars. 
They knew this new star was no 
common one, and was a signal of 



THE SAGES AND THE STAK. 149 

no common event. Shepherds and 
sages both could say, " The heavens 
declare the glory of Grod." 

The wise men came to Jerusa- 
lem. As that was the royal city 
of the Jews, they seem to have 
thought that the Holy Child would 
be found there. We can almost 
imagine them inquiring of the peo- 
ple where he was. Was he not in 
some palace, or with some wealthy 
family? They ask, "Where is he 
that is born King of the Jews ? for 
we have seen his star in the east,* 
and are come to worship him. 

Herod heard that these wise men 
were in the city. He was then 

* " While we were in the East, we saw his 
star." The star did not appear shining east of 
them, but west. 
13* 



150 THE HOLY CHILD. 

about seventy years old, and his 
heart was as wicked as ever before. 
He was troubled, for he was jealous, 
and fearful that some true Israelite 
would rise up and become a king. 
That title, "King of the Jews," was 
whispered in his halls and ran 
through the palace like an electric 
shock. Were the people rising up 
against him to claim their rights ? 
Quite lately six thousand in the city 
have refused to take the oath of al- 
legiance to him, and are they about 
to set up a new king ? Herod was 
afraid, for " the wicked fear where 
no fear is." In one sense there was 
no cause of fear to him, " for this 
King that was born, was candidate 
for quite another crown than any 
which Herod would have cared to 



THE SAGES AJnTD THE STAK. 151 

wear." He would receive the crown 
of thorns from men, and the crown 
of glory from God. 

While Herod was asking, " Who 
is he — where is he?" the city was 
full of rumours. " All Jerusalem" 
was troubled with him. The people 
were, no doubt, afraid of war. 
Herod's friends trembled lest the 
tyrant should be hurled down in his 
old age. 

Herod called a council of the 
Jews. He knew that a person 
called Christ, was expected by the 
Jewish nation. He wished to know 
where he would be born. The 
learned men would know. In his 
great trouble he demanded of them 
to tell him this secret, so awful and 
frightful to him. 




152 THE HOLY CHILD. 

They answer correctly: "In Beth- 
lehem." They know what the pro- 
phecy means. Their heads are 
better than their hearts. They 
quote their proof from Micah the 
prophet : " And thou Bethlehem, 
in the land of Juda, art not the 
least among the princes of Juda; 
for out of thee shall come a Gov- 
ernor, that shall rule my people Is- 
rael." 

Herod wanted to hear no more 
from the Bible. The words about 
a Governor, who should come and 
rule, were a terror to him. He did 
not know that Christ would say, "My 
kingdom is not of this world," and 
would refuse to be made king. He 
is very jealous and proud, and seems 
to say to himself, 



THE SAGES AND THE STAR. 153 

" Am I not Herod ? who shall dare 
My crown to take, my sceptre bear, 
As King among the Jews ?" 

The old king is crafty as a fox. 
He now calls the wise men, to come 
as privately as possible. Nobody 
must know of it, so as to tell it 
through the city. He is very diligent 
in asking questions. He wants to 
find out how old this new " King of 
the Jews" is. He asks when they 
first saw the star, and probably 
many other questions about it. He 
may have thought it was a miracle 
which Grod had set in the sky. This 
would make him very cautious. 
He concludes that this king is a 
young child, and thinks that the best 
policy is to pretend to have great 
love and reverence for him. He 



154 THE HOLY CHILD. 

will send these wise men to search 
for the child, for perhaps they will 
not find him. He does not send 
any of the Jews. 

" Gro and search diligently," he 
says, as if it would require hard 
searching to find any king in Beth- 
lehem. Can any good thing come 
out of little Bethlehem ? It w ould 
seem as if he meant to say, " I am 
king here, go see if you can find 
any other." And yet he would 
play a very pious part. If they 
should find such a child, he will 
pretend to pay him all due honour. 
" When ye have found him, bring 
me word again, that I may come 
and worship him also." He would 
hardly dare go now himself ! 

These wise men had lost sight of 



THE SAGES A1SD THE STAK. 155 

" His star," not their star. Probably 
they thought it would not shine 
again, as they had now learned the 
place where this " King of the Jews" 
would be found. But as they left 
the city along the old Hebron-road, 
lo ! there it was again. And strange 
too, it did not (as it seems to me) 
appear in the same direction as 
before. Then it was toward the 
west, or north-west. But now it is 
in the south ! And it moves too ! 
It goes before them, and stands just 
over the place where the young 
child is! They wonder, and are 
glad, with exceeding great joy. 

This star then was not such an 
one as we see. It must have been 
some brilliant star-light, which Grod 
held out in the sky to shine for 



156 THE HOLY CHILD. 

several days, change its course, 
and move on and stop over Beth- 
lehem. If Grod made a pillar of 
cloud by day, and a bright pillar of 
fire by night, to move on where the 
people of Israel should follow, and 
to rest where they should encamp, 
surely it is proper for us to believe 
that he made a star-light to move 
and lead the wise men to where the 
young child was. I cannot think 
it was a new planet just set in the 
firmament, nor a " conjunction of 
planets," but a special star-light 
and a miracle. 

The Bible is our star. It will 
lead us to Jesus. Let us not do as 
Herod did, learn about this star and 
then refuse to follow it. " Thy 
word is a lamp unto my feet, and a 



THE SAGES AND THE STAE. 157 

light unto my path." As the wise 
men rejoiced when they saw the 
star, let us rejoice over any thing 
that will lead us to Jesus ; a verse, 
a word, a friend, a prayer, a sermon, 
a thought ! 

These wise travellers came to the 
very house where the Holy Child 
was. They went in, and looked 
first of all for this king. They saw 
him with Mary his mother. They 
fell down, at once, on their faces 
and worshipped him. They never 
thought of worshipping Mary. No 
doubt they paid her all due respect. 
But they paid worship to Jesus. 
What was this worship ? 

The word worship was once 
written worthsJnjp. To honour a 
man was to recognize his worthship. 
14 



158 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Hence it is sometimes said men 
worshipped kings and friends ; they 
respected their worth, and their 
office. The Magi may have honoured 
Mary in this way. 

But this word means far more 
when men worship God. They 
recognize his worth, as Creator and 
God over all. The Magi thus 
recognized the worth of Jesus. The 
more they knew, the higher the 
worship they paid to him. They 
certainly thought he was more than 
a mortal human child. 

Why would they come from their 
distant homes to see him if he was 
to be a common earthly king? 
Why come to the very throne of 
Herod to pay respects to one who 
might be his rival ? Surely they 



THE SAGES AND THE STAE. 159 

thought, and told Herod, that this 
child was king of another and ho- 
lier kingdom. And they wanted to 
worship him as King of kings, and 
Lord of lords. 

The Queen of Sheba paid hom- 
age to Solomon, but lo, a greater 
than Solomon is here ! 

They had rich presents with them. 
It is a custom still in those countries 
for the visitor to a king to carry 
costly gifts with him. But their 
gifts * were such as were considered 
as offerings to God. They then 

* The word translated " gifts" is used in the 
New Testament only once or twice (Rev. xi. 10) 
to denote gifts from man to man ; but is used 
fifteen or sixteen times to denote the gifts or 
offerings made to God. This would go to show 
that the Magi worshipped Jesus as a king far 
greater than men. 



160 THE HOLY CHILD. 

opened the chests or caskets which 
they had brought, and presented 
unto him gifts. These gifts were 
given not to Mary, but to the Holy 
Child. They gave costly offerings. 

They gave gold. It was by many 
nations, then, regarded as sacred. 
There was much gold about the 
Temple. The Psalmist said, "To 
him shall be given of the gold of 
Arabia." Some think this gold was 
used when Joseph and Mary fled 
with the young child into Egypt. 
Of course we cannot know. 

They gave frankincense. This 
was made from a plant or tree. It 
is supposed to have come from India. 
It was often used in the temple, as 
an offering to the Lord. It was the 
most costly and most highly prized 



THE SAGES AND THE STAK. 161 

of all the ancient perfumes ; more 
precious than the box of " ointment 
very costly" which one of the Marys 
poured upon Jesus' head. 

They gave myrrh. It was used 
in anointing priests and kings, and 
also used in embalming the dead. 
The body of Jesus was anointed 
partly with myrrh after he was 
taken down from the cross. We 
can see how appropriate this offer- 
ing was, in anointing him as the 
Great King, and also for his burial. 
We do not say, however, that these 
wise men so intended it. 

Great was the faith of these Magi. 

They will rise up in judgment and 

condemn many who had far greater 

light and knowledge of Jesus. They 

believed in Christ before they saw 
14* 



162 THE HOLY CHILD. 

him ; and when they saw him, an 
infant in poverty, they still believed. 
They saw no miracles done by him. 
They saw no halo of brightness 
about his head. They saw nothing 
but a tender infant, helpless, and in 
need of a mother's gentle care. And 
yet when they saw him they believed 
that they saw the Divine Saviour 
of the world.* " They fell down and 
worshipped him." 

"What trouble it cost them to 
travel from their homes to the house 
where Jesus was born 1" Some 
think they came 1500 miles to see 
Jesus. " The dangers were neither 
few, nor small. But none of these 
things moved them. They had their 
hearts set on seeing him, and they 

* Eyle on Matthew. 



THE SAGES AXD THE STAE. 163 

never rested till they saw him. 
They prove to us the truth of the 
old saying, l Where there is a will, 
there is a way.*' " 

And now they must return home. 
They perhaps had seen enough of 
Herod, to distrust him. He seemed 
too much like a wolf in sheep's cloth- 
ing. God assures them, in a dream, 
that Herod has some evil design in 
view. They are well warned not to 
return to him. So they depart for 
their own country another way. 
Thus some Gentiles came to see 
Jesus while in his cradle. Other 
Gentiles came to see him just before 
he went to the cross. They said to 
Philip, "Sir, we would see Jesus." 

The shepherds were the first fruits 

* Eyle on Matthew. 



164 THE HOLY CHILD. 

of the Jewish nation ; the wise men 
the first fruits of the Grentile world. 
How beautiful here are the words 
of Isaiah, " The Gentiles shall come 
to thy light, and kings to the bright- 
ness of thy rising !" also those of the 
Psalmist, " The kings of Tarshish 
and of the isles shall bring presents : 
the kings of Sheba and Seba shall 
offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall 
down before him : all nations shall 
serve him." 

This miraculous star went out long 
ago ; the gospel now shines in its 
stead. If we are as diligent as 
these sages, we shall find that Jesus 
is our King, and King of all. But 
we have no other star than the 
truth, no Saviour but Jesus. No 
other ! aye, do we need any other ? 



THE SAGES AND THE STAE. 165 

" While Christ is rich, can I be poor ? 
What can I want beside ?" 

Just here I find some words so 
beautiful and full of meaning, that 
thev ought to be added to this 
chapter. 

" The star, as well as the other 
phenomena attending the advent 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, had this 
peculiar and distinct meaning, viz : 
that heaven and earth were brought 
together in the birth of our Re- 
deemer. The babe lay in the cradle 
— the star moved in the firmament. 
The star in the visible heaven 
(always typical of the spiritual) 
pointed to the birth place of the 
child on earth. The same thing is 
true of this shepherd story in the 
text. So simple is it, so exquisite, 



166 THE HOLY CHILD. 

so rich in the elements of spiritual 
significance as well as of poetry, 
that it has taken a hold upon the 
mind and imagination of the race 
stronger, perhaps, than that of any- 
other gospel narrative. It is one 
of the most beautiful tales that you 
can tell to your children. Even in 
the earliest childhood it will make 
their little ears open and their eyes 
dilate with wonder. The angelic 
visit, like the quiet movement of 
the star, indicates that in the birth 
of the child at Bethlehem, heaven 
and earth are brought together. 
' Grlory to God in the highest, and 
on earth peace, good will toward 
men.' This was not the song of 
the by-standers in the stable at 
Bethlehem. No, the cradle was in 



THE SAGES AND THE STAE. 167 

the manger, and the manger was on 
the earth, and the child was born 
here, but this angelic song was sung 
by the choirs in the upper world. 
The shepherds were upon the earth, 
and the shining throng, that ap- 
peared at the utterance of the angel, 
and joined in this glorious song, — 
these came from afar, singing as 
they descended from the distant 
heaven, i Grlory to Grod in the 
highest, and on earth peace, good 
will toward men.' Heaven and 
earth rejoiced together over the 
birth of the babe of Bethlehem." — 
Dr. M'Clintocfc. 



168 THE HOLY CHILD, 



CHAPTER XI. 

THE BAEES OF BETHLEHEM. 

And when they were departed, behold, the 
angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a 
dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child 
and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be 
thou there until I bring thee word : for Herod 
will seek the young child, to destroy him. 
When he arose, he took the young child and his 
mother by night, and departed into Egypt : and 
was there until the death of Herod, that it might 
be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by 
the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called 
my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he 
was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding 
wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children 
that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts 
thereof, from two years old and under, according 
to the time which he had diligently inquired of 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 169 

the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which 
was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 
In Rama was there a voice heard, lamenta- 
tion, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel 
weeping for her children, and would not be 
comforted, because they are not. Matt. ii. 
13-18. 

And lo ! alas, behold ! what slaughter he doth 

make, 
Shedding the blood of infants, all, sweet Saviour, 

for thy sake. 
A King is born, they say, which King this king 

would kill ; 
Oh woe, and woful heavy day when wretches 

have their will. 

Old Christmas Carol. 

Herod had promised to go and 

worship the Holy Child as soon as 

he heard where he was. But the 

wise men did not return to tell him. 

They obeyed Grod rather than man. 

If Herod had really desired to 
15 



170 THE HOLY CHILD. 

worship Jesus, he could easily have 
found him. 

He was so anxious to take the 
young child's life that he probably 
did not wait long in suspense. He 
inquired for the Magi, and learned 
that they had gone home another 
way. His plan of treachery had 
failed. He was very angry. He 
could not rule his own spirit. Anger 
is always dangerous. It betrays 
one into great sin. Alexander the 
Great, at a feast, fell into such a 
rage that he struck his dearest bosom 
friend dead at his feet. Herod the 
Great did even more wickedly. 

He saw that he was mocked by 
the wise men, or foiled in his plan 
with them. He was too angry to 
be cool and crafty. He was des- 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 171 

perate. In order to kill one child, 
he resolved to kill all the children 
in Bethlehem, which were two years 
old and under. It is not likely 
that the Holy Child was then two 
years old, or Herod would have 
resolved to kill all who were three 
or four years old. He wished to 
make sure work, and fixed the age 
high enough to include Jesus. He 
counted from the time that he saw 
the wise men. So jealous a tyrant 
would not wait long. 

Herod was used to desperate 
murders, but he was about to com- 
mit one, the most inhuman that 
was ever done by cruel tyrants. 
" The king's wrath is the messenger 
of death." He ordered men to 
murder the harmless babes of 



172 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Bethlehem. JNTone but wicked men 
would do so outrageous a deed. 
Their names do not deserve to be 
mentioned. They made ready to go. 

Joseph had a dream, soon after 
the wise men had gone. In a vision 
he sees the angel of the Lord, and 
hears him say, " Arise, and take the 
young child and his mother, and 
flee into Egypt, and be thou there 
until I bring thee word ; for Herod 
will seek the young child to destroy 
him." 

He arises that moment. He does 
not wait till day-break. The mur- 
derers will soon be in the town. If 
he should wait till clay, some one 
might see him fleeing away and put 
the cruel men upon the track. So 
he takes the young child and his 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 173 

mother and goes by night. It was 
night when Jesus escaped Herod ; 
it was night when he was betrayed 
by Judas. 

The little family flee to Egypt. 
It was a weary journey of three or 
four days. Rich people would have 
found it tiresome, but how much 
more so to the pale mother, and to 
Joseph, who perhaps carried the 
young child in his arms ! 

Egypt was a heathen land. The 
most beautiful stories in all its 
history are those of Joseph, once 
the wearer of the " coat of many 
colours,' ' and afterward the chief 
man at the royal court ; and the 
story of Moses, once saved from 
death such as Herod caused, by 
being hidden in the little ark among 
15* 



174 THE HOLY CHILD. 

the reeds of the Mle, and afterward 
the leader of the Hebrews. It was 
night when the Hebrews left Egypt 
for Juclea ; it was night when Jesus 
left Juclea for Egypt. 

Herod could have no power in 
Egypt. There were some Jews 
living in this land at this time. 
Perhaps Joseph and Mary were 
with some of them. Not a w^ord 
is told us about any attentions 
they received while there. The 
story about an idol falling before 
Jesus there, is not founded on good 
authority. It is not in the Bible. 

The murderers come to Bethlehem. 
They seize the young children and 
put them to death. They are in 
such haste that mothers cannot hide 
their little ones. Their tears and 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 175 

shrieks are not regarded. The mo- 
ther, who has gone down the hill- 
side for a pitcher of water, comes 
back and finds her babe dead in its 
blood. The little brother who plays 
by the gate is soon gasping in his 
wounds. One is snatched from its 
cradle, and another pulled away 
from a mother's arms. Who can 
imagine the horrors of such an hour ? 
All the children in the town and in 
the country near to it are slain. 
Perhaps some of those shepherds 
wept over their murdered babes. 

How many were killed, we know 
not. Bethlehem then had about 
2000 inhabitants, and perhaps there 
were forty or fifty infants slain. 
"What a band of little martyrs to 
Jesus Christ ! 



176 THE HOLY CHILD. 

" Sweet firstlings of that slaughtered flock, 
So precious to the Lord." 

This deed of terror filled Beth- 
lehem with mourners. Parents, 
who then loved their children as 
much as parents do now, were 
almost frantic with grief. One, we 
may suppose, wept over a first-born, 
another over the voungest babe. 
Children too were in tears. This 
mourning is spoken of in strong 
terms, as if Rachel had risen from 
her grave between Bethel and 
Bethlehem, and come down to weep 
and lament over these children. 
She will not be comforted " because 
they are not" — are not alive. She 
is represented as having done this 
once before, when Jeremiah and 
many Jews were taken captive, 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 177 

and a great slaughter was committed 
in Judea. 

Soon after this wholesale slaughter 
Herod died. He died in a splendid 
palace at Jericho, of the most loath- 
some diseases. He showed no re- 
pentance. ISTor was this deadly 
king yet satisfied with taking life. 
He tried to kill himself. One day 
he called for an apple and a knife. 
When he got the knife, he looked 
about and had a mind to stab him- 
self with it, but a cousin of his saw 
him, caught his hand, and cried 
loudly for help. The palace was 
filled with alarm. Some thought 
the king was dead. Antipater, a 
son of Herod, was in chains by the 
order of his father. This son, think- 
ing his father was dead, talked to 



178 THE HOLY CHILD. 

the jailer about letting him go. This 
was told to Herod, and he in his 
rage ordered Antipater to be slain. 
This terrible king knew that the 
Jews would be glad of his death. And 
on his death bed he said, " What 
chiefly troubles me is this, that I 
shall die without being lamented, 
and without such mourning as men 
usually expect at a king's death." 
In order to turn this joy into weep- 
ing he hit upon this monstrous plan. 
He called together the nobles of the 
land, and had them imprisoned in 
the circus. He ordered his sister 
to have them all slain the moment 
he was dead, so that the people 
would have something to weep for, 
if not for him. This brutal order 
was not executed. Can you wonder 



THE BABES OF BETHLEHEM. 179 

at his killing the babes of Bethle- 
hem ? It is not strange that Jose- 
phus does not tell of the murder of 
the infants, for that was among 
Herod's smaller crimes ! It was 
but a drop in his ocean of blood ! 

He could take the lives of others, 
but could not protract his own. His 
death was wretched ; but his son 
Archelaus took pains to make his 
funeral splendid. The body was 
carried on a golden bier, with pre- 
cious stones and gems set in it. 
On the dead king's head was a dia- 
dem, and above it a crown of gold, 
and a sceptre was in his right hand. 
The whole army followed in battle 
array, and five hundred court offi- 
cers, with sweet spices to embalm 
the body. How different all this 



180 THE HOLY CHILD. 

parade over a wicked man, from the 
humble way in which Joseph took 
flight with the Holy Child ! 

The death of the babes of Bethle- 
hem brings to mind a letter and a 
song, which are too beautiful to be 
lost, and are found in the next chap- 
ter. Those infants had a Saviour. 
We believe that the Holy Grhost 
made them holy, and that they re- 
ceived a martyr's crown. Simeon 
was like a shock of corn fully ripe 
for the harvest: these babes were 
as " gathered lilies." 



CHILDREN m HEAYEtf. 181 



CHAPTER XII. 

CHILDREN IN HEAYEN. 

From many a home has gone to heaven 

A little smiling child, 
A little brother whom we loved, 

A little sister mild ; 
We love them, and they love us, there 
Each is a bright and shining star. 

I. A talk with Death. 

My dear little friends, — Is 
there chillness and gloom in that one 
short word? I would not make 
you sad. It would grieve me to see 
any little boy or girl pained by a 
word or look of mine. 
16 



182 THE HOLY CHILD. 

" Then," some little one may ask, 
" why do you choose a subject so 
gloomy?" I cannot tell, my dear, 
unless it is because Death is so de- 
termined to be no stranger among us. 
He comes without our bidding, and 
in spite of all our care takes whom 
he will. Yesterday, I saw a house 
where he had entered, and taken 
the mother from her little children ; 
but a few steps farther, I saw a lit- 
tle babe just passing away. The 
mother wept, and laid the little 
head upon her breast ; but I knew 
that Death would not mind her grief. 
I knew that the dear baby must die. 
Still, 1 had not thought of writing 
to you about it; but just as I had 
taken my pen, a lady came in look- 
ing very sorrowful, and after a time 



CHILDREN IN HEAYEN. 183 

she told me that she feared Death 
was coming for her daughter, her 
only daughter. She, too, wept ; but 
I knew that Death would not mind 
her tears. When the lady was gone, 
Death seemed very present with me, 
and he seemed to say, " Write to 
the children about me ; and tell them 
that I am not what they think me 
to be." 

You know, children, that a good 
poet has said, 

" Stoop down, my thoughts, that used to rise, 
Converse awhile with Death/' 

So I conversed with Death, and the 
more I talked with him, the better 
he appeared. I asked him what he 
had done with the beautiful flowers 
which he had stolen from our earthly 



184 THE HOLY CHILD. 

gardens ? for you know that he has 
come just like the hoarfrost, and 
blighted the rose-buds as they were 
beginning to bloom. He had done 
that thing to me, and I felt that I 
had a right to ask. But Death re- 
plied very calmly, " You should not 
say stolen; for I am not a thief. 
There is one who owns all the flow- 
ers upon your broad green earth ; 
and he has a right to transplant 
them when and where he pleases. 
He sends me to your garden. I do 
not come to kill, to steal, and to de- 
stroy ; but only to do my Maker's 
bidding." 

" But why," I asked, " do you 
snatch them so rudely, and leave 
hearts all torn and bleeding?" 

"Alas !" replied Death, " why will 



CHILDREN IN HEAVEN. 185 

not mortals let tliem go ? Good lit- 
tle children are the Paradise flowers, 
— ' Of such is the kingdom of hea- 
ven ;' but be the world ever so bleak 
and desolate, mortals would keep 
them here ; so they bind them with 
cords lest they be taken away ; and 
these cords are twined with their 
own heart-strings ; how can I 
loosen the one, without breaking the 
other?" 

I was nearly silenced by this re- 
ply. There was one more question 
which I longed to ask, but I dared 
not speak it aloud. It was this: 
" Since the world is so bleak, why 
take away the little of love and 
beauty which mortals have ?" 

Death smiled upon me then, and 

answered, " Grod is preparing some- 
16* 



186 THE HOLY CHILD. 

thing better than a bleak world, for 
those who love him well enough to 
believe that ' He cloeth all things 
well.' In the heavenly mansions 
they will find more than they have 
lost. Is it not best, then, to acqui- 
esce in his will, and reverently re- 
ceive his messenger?" 

I answered, " Yes ;" and Death 
never seemed to me so amiable be- 
fore. I believe that all he says is 
true, and that we should not regard 
him as a cruel enemy. What do 
the children think ? 

Family Treasury. 

II. The Reapek and the Flowers. 

There is a Reaper whose name is Death, 

And with his sickle keen, 
He reaps the bearded grain at a breath, 

And the flowers that grow between. 



CHILDREN IN HEAVEN. 187 

44 Shall I have nought that is fair," saith he, 
14 Have nought but the bearded grain ? 

Though the breath of these flowers is sweet to 
me, 
I will give them all back again." 

He gazed at the flowers with tearful eyes, 

He kissed their drooping leaves, 
It was for the Lord of Paradise 

He bound them in his sheaves. 

44 My Lord has need of these flowerets gay," 

The Reaper said and smiled ; 
44 Dear tokens of the earth are they 

Where he was once a child. 

44 They shall all bloom in fields of light, 

Transplanted by my care, 
And saints upon their garments white 

These sacred blossoms wear." 

And the mother gave, in tears and pain, 

The flowers she most did love ; 
She knew she should find them all again 

In the fields of light above. 



188 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Oil not in cruelty, not in wrath, 

The Reaper came that day ; 
'Twas an angel visited the green earth 

And took the flowers away. 

Longfellow. 



CHKIST CALLED OUT OF EGYPT. 189 



CHAPTER XIII. 

THE SON OF GOD CALLED OUT OF 
EGYPT. 

But when Herod was dead, behold an angel 
of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph 
in Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young 
child and his mother, and go into the land of 
Israel : for they are dead which sought the young 
child's life. And he arose, and took the young 
child and his mother, and came into the land of 
Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did 
reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, 
he was afraid to go thither : notwithstanding, 
being warned of God in a dream, he turned 
aside into the parts of Galilee. And he came 
and dwelt in a city called Nazareth : that it 
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the 
prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. — Matt, 
ii. 19—23. 



190 THE HOLY CHILD. 

The Lord calls back the sparrows, 
When storm and cold are fled ; 

He thus called home the Holy Child, 
When the deathly king was dead. 

Aftek Herod's death, Archelaus 
his son was proclaimed King of the 
Jews. The soldiers promised him 
the same good-will and readiness 
to obey, that they had shown to his 
father. He went to the temple and 
had praises sung in his honour. The 
people hoped he would be a better 
king than Herod, and were glad to 
receive him. Each one vied with 
another to see who could sing the 
loudest in his praise. They made 
for him a throne of gold, and he 
told them he was glad they did not 
remember the evil his father had 
done, and he promised to be a better 



CHRIST CALLED OUT OF EGYPT. 191 

man. He said that he did not wish 
to be called king, for that honour 
should be given to Cesar Augustus. 
Then it was that the sceptre had 
departed from Judah. He offered 
sacrifice to Grod, and then went to 
feast his friends. 

Was he resigning his sceptre to 
the child who was born King of 
the Jews? Did he intend to call 
him from Egypt to the throne ? By 
no means. Nor did Jesus wish 
this honour. 

Archelaus would be jealous of the 
Holy Child. He, too, would take 
his revenge on any one who he 
thought was to be a king of the 
Jews. He, too, put many people to 
death, and perhaps had some plan 
to destroy the young child. Arche- 



192 THE HOLY CHILD. 

laus reigned nine years, but did 
nothing to his credit. He did not 
keep his fair promises, and was 
cruel to the Jews. Complaint was 
made to Augustus, and he went to 
Rome, but could not defend his 
conduct. 

The Emperor banished him to 
Vienne, and claimed Judea as a 
Roman Province. He then sent 
Cyrenius, (mentioned in Luke ii. 1,) 
to collect the taxes which had been 
registered when Jesus was born in 
Bethlehem. This was eight or ten 
years after Jesus was brought from 
Egypt. 

The same angel who appeared to 
Joseph in Bethlehem, came to him 
in Egypt. He had said, " Be thou 
there until I bring thee word." 






CHEIST CALLED OUT OF EGYPT. 193 

He now speaks very much in the 
same words as before. " Arise and 
take the young child and his mo- 
ther and go into the land of Israel, 
for they are dead which sought the 
young child's life." Not he alone 
is dead, but they. Does it mean 
that the men who had killed the 
babes of Bethlehem, were slain? 
Perhaps Herod had learned that 
these men had failed to destroy the 
young child, and in his rage had 
put them to death. 

Joseph obeyed, for he was ready 
to believe the word just because 
God sent it to him. The little 
family came into the land of Judea. 
It would seem that he intended to 
go to Bethlehem or Jerusalem to 
reside. It may be that he then 
17 



194 THE HOLY CHILD. 

thought the Holy Child should have 
a home in one of those cities, where 
so many patriarchs, prophets, and 
kings had lived. But Jesus was to 
live in a humble place. 

Joseph heard that "Archelaus 
did reign in Judea in the room of 
his father Herod." Would he not 
expect this ? He may have thought 
that all the family of Herod had 
been dethroned ; or he may have 
known that Herod had promised 
the kingdom to Herod Antipas * 
He did thus promise, but afterward 
changed his will. Joseph was not 
expecting such news. Archelaus 
was to be feared. Joseph knew he 

* He reigned after Archelaus and put John 
the Baptist to death. Our Saviour called him 
" that fox." 



CHEIST CALLED OUT OF EGYPT. 195 

was too much like his father to be 
trusted, and was afraid to go into 
his kingdom. 

While thus in fear, he was warned 
of God not to expose the young 
child to this son of Herod. He 
turned aside from the road toward 
Jerusalem, and went into Galilee. 
The family passed through Samaria. 
Galilee was, then, under the reign 
of Herod Antipas, a weak man and 
milder prince. We are here taught 
that we should use all proper means 
to preserve our lives. Jesus was, 
like us, exposed to dangers. 

Thus God called his son out of 
Egypt. This was foretold in the 
days of Hosea. The prophecy at 
first referred to the Exodus of Israel 
from Egypt. It also referred to 






196 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Christ. Many lights may be set 
in a row, and when you are in range 
with them, they appear as one great 
light. So several prophecies which 
referred to other persons, are fulfilled 
in Christ. They are one great light 
in him. 

Had it not been for this prophecy, 
the enemies of Jesus might have 
said, that he was not the Messiah, 
for he came out of Egypt, a foreign 
country. They could not say so in 
face of these words, " Out of Egypt 
have I called my son."* 

Joseph came to Nazareth. It 
had been Mary's home. It was not 
an honourable city like Bethlehem. 
The name was a by- word, because 
many of the people were heathen. 

* Hosea xi. 1. 



CHEIST CALLED OUT OF EGYPT. 197 

So greatly was it in disrepute that 
a proverb arose, " Can any good 
thing come out of Nazareth ?" Jesus 
Christ was willing to dwell in the 
meanest city in Gralilee. " He hum- 
bled himself." He was willing to 
bear the name of reproach, " a Naza- 
rene," " Jesus of Nazareth !" Grood 
men are yet reproached because 
they come from a poor and despised 
place. Not place, but character 
makes a man. He went there to 
fulfil prophecy. No one prophet 
had foretold this, but this was the 
meaning of many prophets. Mat- 
thew says it was spoken by the 
prophets, — not by one prophet — 
" He shall be called a Nazarene." 
Many drops make the rain, and so 
17* 



198 THE HOLY CHILD. 

many utterances made this predic- 
tion. 

" And the child grew, and waxed 
strong in spirit, filled with wisdom ; 
and the grace of Grod was upon 
him." This is all that is said of 
him until he was twelve years old. 



VISIT TO THE PASSOVER. 199 



CHAPTER XIV. 

THE JOYFUL VISIT TO THE PASSOVER. 

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every 
year at the feast of the passover. And when he 
was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem 
after the custom of the feast. And when they 
had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child 
Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem ; and Joseph 
and his mother knew not of it. But they, sup- 
posing him to have been in the company, went 
a day's journey ; and they sought him among 
their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when 
they found him not, they turned back again to 
Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, 
that after three days they found him in the 
temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both 
hearing them, and asking them questions. And 
all that heard him were astonished at his under- 
standing and answers. And when they saw him, 



200 THE HOLY CHILD. 

they were amazed : and his mother said nnto 
him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us ? 
Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrow- 
ing. And he said unto them, How is it that 
ye sought me ? Wist ye not that I must be about 
my Father's business? And they understood 
not the saying which he spake unto them. And 
he went down with them and came to Nazareth, 
and was subject unto them : but his mother kept 
all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus in- 
creased in wisdom and stature, and in favour 
with God and man. Luke ii. 41-r- 52. 

I was glad when they said unto me, 
Let us go into the house of the Lord. 

King David. 

It was a happy day for a Hebrew 
child, when he became twelve years 
old. He might then go to that 
great city of which he had heard so 
much, and had read in the word of 
Grod. He might go and see the 
Temple and the sacrifices, the 
priests and the Levites. Boys at 



VISIT TO THE PASSOVEE. 201 

this age were called " sons of the 
law," and were sometimes taken to 
Jerusalem to be educated, just as 
Saul of Tarsus was brought up at 
the feet of Gamaliel. Perhaps 
about this very time Saul had been 
sent to study with the " doctors of 
the law." 

It was a happy day for a Hebrew 
child, when the Passover season 
came round. For months before, 
his parents may have said that if 
he honoured them properly, he 
should go to the great city, and see 
the holy Temple, and attend the 
feast. He would long for the day 
to come. 

The Passover was held in the 
spring, during the latter part of 
March. Great preparations were 



202 THE HOLY CHILD. 

made in Jerusalem. The temple 
was put in the best repair. The 
streets were cleaned. The roads to 
the city were put in good order. 
In the graveyards about the city, 
men were busy in whitening the 
tombstones, and marking the graves 
of the humble and the poor. For 
if any one should tread upon a grave 
he would not be allowed, for several 
days, to go into the temple. 

On a certain evening, some horse- 
men, on the swiftest Arab coursers, 
rode out of Jerusalem. Some went 
toward Beersheba, others toward Car- 
mel and Tabor, and along the Jordan. 
They bore the tidings, that " all things 
were now ready for the Passover." 

At the same hour some footmen 
went over the brook Kedron 3 and 




Fire signals to announce the time of the Passover, p. 203. 



VISIT TO THE PASSOVER. 203 

climbed the Mount of Olives. They 
carried fagots of light dry wood on 
their shoulders. One took a lan- 
tern. They heaped up the fagots 
and added brushwood to the pile. 
When the darkness came, they 
set fire to the pile, and the vast 
blaze could be seen afar off. This 
was a signal to announce the 
time of the Passover. All the 
city could see it. Soon another fire 
was kindled on the distant hill, or 
mountain, then another farther 
away, until these blazing signals 
could be seen through all the land 
from Olivet to Lebanon. 

The next day, companies of peo- 
ple were passing Jericho and* Em- 
maus, Jacob's well and Hebron, on 
the way to Jerusalem. They came 



204 THE HOLY CHILD. 

in companies so as to be safe from 
attacks of robbers. They sing and 
shout on the march. 

Such a Passover came when Je- 
sus was twelve years of age. His 
parents were very strict in keeping 
it. Every year they went to the 
City of the Great King to observe it. 
This time they take Jesus with 
them. We may well imagine that 
he went up with joy and gladness. 
As he came near the city he saw 
the temple shining in its gold, 
like a mountain of snow in the sun- 
light. That city was named and 
preserved for him. That temple 
was built to prepare for his coming. 
The priests were but types of him- 
self as "our great High Priest." 
The songs sung in the temple were 



VISIT TO THE PASSOVEK. 205 

but praises to himself. He was the 
Lord whom the people praised. He 
was the Messiah whom they expected. 
The Passover-lamb was only a type 
of the " Lamb of God." 

We may imagine that he saw the 
usual services of worship in the tem- 
ple while there. He saw the lambs 
led to the altar and slain, and the 
blood sprinkled on the altar. He 
saw some parts burned, and other 
parts carried away for the Passover- 
supper. 

Each family, or group of friends, 
carried their lamb to a lodging- 
place, and there it was prepared for 
the solemn feast. It was roasted 
before a large fire on a piece of wood, 

in the form of a cross. A table was 

18 



206 THE HOLY CHILD. 

set, and couches placed about it, 
on which to recline while eating. 

When the company gathered 
about the table, they took a little 
wine mingled with water. A bless- 
ing was asked upon the supper. 
Bitter herbs were eaten, to remind 
them of the bondage in Egypt. 

If there were any young persons 
present, ready to ask, " What mean 
ye by this service?" Exod. xii. 26, 
27, it was all explained. Often an 
address was made like the following : 

u Children, we were all servants 
like this maid-servant or man-ser- 
vant, who waiteth on us, and on 
this night many years ago, the 
Lord redeemed us, and brought us 
to liberty. How different is this 
night from all other nights! For 



YISIT TO THE PASSOVER. 207 

on all other nights we eat leavened 
or unleavened bread indifferently, 
but on this night unleavened bread 
only. On ordinary nights we eat 
any other herbs, on this night bitter 
herbs. On other nights we eat flesh, 
either roasted, stewed, or boiled, 
but on this night we eat roasted 
flesh only. On other nights we 
wash but once, on this night twice. 
On other nights we eat either sitting 
or leaning, on this night we eat 
leaning."* 

The supper was then eaten. How 
strange to think of Jesus eating the 
Paschal lamb which was a type of 

* In the time of our Saviour the Jews did not 
keep the Passover quite in the same manner 
that their fathers had done. We refer to the 
time when he lived. 



208 THE HOLY CHILD. 

himself! The blood of that lamb 
had once been sprinkled on the 
door-posts, so that the angel might 
pass over the houses of the Hebrews 
and spare the first-born. The blood 
of Jesus would be sprinkled on the 
cross, so that we might be saved by 
his death. 

Joseph and Mary w r ere eight days 
in the great city. They fulfilled 
all that was required of them, as faith- 
fully as they had done several years 
before. Simeon and Anna were now 
dead. Mary is not said to have re- 
ceived any attentions. She was not 
treated as an object of worship. They 
returned toward home in the com- 
pany of friends and relatives. They 
thought, of course, that Jesus was 
with some of their friends, and as 



YISIT TO THE PASSOVER. 209 

he was twelve years old, they did 
not feel anxious about him. When 
they had gone a day's journey, and 
the night came, they sought him, but 
he could not be found in the com- 
pany. 

Mr. Thomson, who has seen such 
companies on their way, and heard 
parents calling for their children, 
and friends hallooing for friends, 
says, 

" It is not in fact surprising that, 
in the midst of such a crowd, Joseph 
and his mother should suppose that 
Jesus was in the i company with his 
kinsfolk and acquaintance,' nor is 
the time that elapsed, before they 
became so alarmed at his absence 
as to turn back and search for him, 
at all remarkable. I question 
18* 



210 THE HOLY CHILD. 

whether there is ever a pilgrimage 
paade from Jerusalem to the Jordan, 
at this day, without the separation 
of parents and children equally pro- 
longed ; and in this case, it was the 
absence of a youth, who, his parents 
well knew, had never done in his 
whole life, one unwise or improper 
act. They would not, therefore, be 
easily alarmed on his account." — The 
Land and the Book, ii. 452. 

As soon as they could, they 
turned back to seek him, and per- 
haps they made inquiries along the 
way. They went sorrowing. 



JESUS WITH THE DOCTOES. 211 



CHAPTER XV. 

JESUS WITH THE DOCTOES. 

And it caine to pass, that after three days they 
found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of 
the doctors, both hearing and asking them ques- 
tions. And all that heard him were astonished at 
his understanding and answers. And when they 
saw him, they were amazed: and his mother 
said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus 
dealt with us ? Behold thy father and I have 
sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, 
How is it that ye sought me ? Wist ye not that 
I must be about my Father's business ? And they 
understood not the saying which he spake unto 
them. Ancl he went down with them and came 
to Nazareth, and was subject unto them : but his 
mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And 
Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in 
favour with God and man. Luke ii. 46 — 52. 



212 THE HOLY CHILD. 

" The scene is touching, and the heart is stone 
That feels not at that sight." 

The chief book among the Jews 
was the Old Testament. Those who 
were the most learned in it, and 
who taught it, were called Doctors. 
What they prized most highly was 
an ability to interpret the law of 
God. The people counted such a 
man wise. 

These Doctors often sat in a part 
of the temple. In their discussions, 
some one would propose a verse in 
the Scriptures, and all would tell 
what they thought it meant. They 
often examined the youth in their 
studies, for in every faithfifl family 
the children were taught the word 
of God. Peter and John, though not 
learned in the studies of the Greeks 



JESUS WITH THE DOCTOES. 213 

and Persians, were well versed in 
the Scriptures. 

These Doctors often sat upon cir- 
cular benches, a little raised from 
the floor, and their students sat at 
their feet on mats, or on the floor. 
Thus Jesus sat in " the midst of the 
Doctors." It is not likely that he 
was disputing with them : but he sat 
"both hearing and asking them 
questions." 

This is the true way to learn. 
Jesus heard them ask one another 
about important things. No doubt 
they talked about the tithing of 
mint, anise, and cummin, or the 
" weightier matters of the law," or 
the " traditions of the elders," or 
about fasts, and alms, and feasts. 
No doubt they had many wrong 



214 THE HOLY CHILD. 

notions, such as a child, who knew 
his Bible, would know were not in 
the Scriptures. But Jesus heard 
them respectfully. He was learning 
their errors, so that he might correct 
them when he should rise up as the 
great Teacher. " Be swift to hear, 
slow to speak." 

As he was willing to hear them, 
they were willing to hear him. He 
asked them very deep questions, 
but we know not what. They were 
astonished at his learning. His 
answers were very wise. ]STo doubt, 
he often argued from the word of 
Grod. It would seem that many 
persons gathered about him to hear. 
All that heard him were astonished. 
He was the Wonderful, the Counsel- 
lor. Never spake child as this child. 



JESUS WITH THE DOCTOES. 215 

He talked like a child one hundred 
years old. He felt that he was in 
his Father's house, engaged in his 
Father's work. What great truths 
must have fallen from his lips ! 

Perhaps it may teach a good 
lesson to relate, here, a beautiful 
legend. It is not found in the Bible, 
but contains a great truth, We 
may call it a parable. 

Seven learned Doctors were one 
feast-day, sitting in the Temple 
talking about Rest. One said it 
was found in honest riches ; another 
said that fame and praise would 
bring it. Another said that rest 
was found in power to rule the 
state. Another spoke of a home. 
Another thought it was found by 
keeping the ceremonial law of Moses. 



216 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Then the tallest and most venerable 
Rabbi said, " Ye have spoken wisely ; 
but one thing more is necessary. 
He only can find rest, who to all 
things addeth this ; that he keepeth 
the tradition of the Elders." 

There sat in the court a fair- 
haired boy, playing with some lilies, 
and, hearing the talk, he dropped 
them with astonishment from his 
hands, and looked up — that boy of 
twelve — and said; "Nay, nay, fa- 
thers; he only findeth rest, who 
loveth his brother as himself, and 
loveth Grod with his whole heart 
and soul. He is greater than fame 
and wealth and power ; he is happier 
than a happy home, happy without 
it ; he is better than honoured age ; 
he is a law to himself and above all 



JESUS WITH THE DOCTOES. 217 

tradition." The doctors were as- 
tonished. They said, " When Christ 
cometh, shall he tell us greater 
things then these?" And they 
thanked Grod, saying, " The old men 
are not always wise, yet Grod be 
praised, that out of the mouth of 
this young child, has his praise 
become perfect." 

On the third clay after Joseph 
and Mary had missed Jesus, they 
came to the temple. They were 
amazed to see him sitting with 
the learned men, and attracting so 
much attention. They may have 
listened awhile to his wondrous 
words. Mary spoke just as most 
mothers would speak at such a 
time, to a child they loved, " Son, 
why hast thou thus dealt with us ? 
19 



218 THE HOLY CHILD. 

Behold thy father and I have sought 
thee sorrowing." She did not under- 
stand hirti, and perhaps was partly 
wrong in her rebuke. Mary was 
not sinless. 

But mark the answer. Jesus 
does not say, "Why did you not 
attend to me when you were starting 
home ? Why so careless ? Why so 
late in seeking me ?" Wo guile was 
found in his mouth. But he is 
amazed at their amazement, and 
asks, " How is it that ye sought me?" 
Were you alarmed ? Why seek 
me in fear ? Will not my Father, 
my real Father, take care of me ? 
Why seek in any place but this ? 
" Wist ye not that I must be about 
my Father's business ? Is not my 
place in my Father's house ?" This 



JESUS WITH THE DOCTORS. 219 

shows that he knew for whathe had 
come into the world. He was to 
teach and save sinners. He seems 
to intimate that he is not dependent 
on them. Yet he submits to them. 
Though he knows more than they do, 
yet he does not cast them off. 

They understood not his words. 
We can see their meaning better 
than they, because we have his 
teaching and life written to instruct 
us. But Mary kept all these say- 
ings in her heart. If we remember 
deep sayings, their meaning will 
become clearer after a while. If 
one tries to learn only what he can 
understand at the moment, he will 
never be wise. 

Here is the first written word from 
the lips of Jesus. What he said 



220 THE HOLY CHILD. 

before this, how he asked his mo- 
ther questions, and said strange 
things ; and what he uttered daily 
for eighteen years after this, we 
cannot know. It is the only saying 
of his childhood reported to us. 
How full of meaning ! He talks 
about his Father's work. He inti- 
mates that he is not Mary's son, 
but is the Son of Grod. Is every 
child of twelve years doing a Fa- 
ther's will ? Do we know what the 
word " Our Father" means ? 

It is said, in a parable, that three 
persons once met — a pagan, a Jew 
and a Christian. The pagan called 
the sun his Grod. The Jew was 
astonished. 

" What do you call the supreme 
Being ?" asked the pagan. 



JESUS WITH THE DOCTORS. 221 

" We call him Jehovah Adonai, 
the Lord who is, who was, and who 
will be," replied the Jew. 

" Your appellation is grand and 
sublime," said the first, " but it is 
awful too." 

A Christian then drew near and 
said — 

" We call him Fathek." 

The pagan and the Jew looked 
at each other and said, 

" Here is at once an image and a 
reality; it is a word from the heart." 

Then they all raised their eyes to 
heaven, and said, with reverence and 
love, " Our Fathek," and they took 
each other by the hand and all three 
called one another " brothers" 

Jesus then went down with Joseph 
19* 



222 THE HOLY CHILD. 

and Mary to Nazareth.. As Joseph 
is not mentioned after this, it is 
thought that he died before Jesus 
was thirty years old. 



A LESSON FROM NAZARETH. 223 



CHAPTER XVI. 

A LESSON FROM NAZARETH. 

And the child grew, and waxed strong in 
spirit, filled with wisdom : and the grace of God 
was upon him. 

And he went down with them unto Nazareth, 
and was subject unto them : but his mother kept 
all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus 
increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour 
with God and man. Luke ii. 40. 51, 52. 

u Honour thy father and thy mother." 
" Children, obey your parents in the Lord ; 
for this is right." 

When John the Baptist was an 
infant, it was asked among the 



224 THE HOLY CHILD. 

people, " What manner of child 
shall this be ?" Many parents have 
asked this question. Our parents 
have wondered what we should be, 
in this world and the next. 

A mother once let her son do as 
he pleased, though she often told 
him what was right. He knew how 
to obey his parents, but yet cared 
little for their commands. Almost 
every day she heard of some wicked 
word or deed, of which he was 
guilty. He loved bad books, and 
bad boys. Often she would wring 
her hands and cry out, " Oh ! what 
will become of my child?" Most 
people could easily see what would 
become of him. They knew, that 
if he grew and waxed strong in his 
evil spirit, he would be a very 



A LESSOR FROM JNTAZARETH. 225 

wicked man, and so he was. He 
never honoured his father and his 
mother. 

Let us go to Nazareth and learn 
a lesson. It will teach every one 
how to keep the fifth commandment. 
It is the best lesson that Nazareth 
ever gave us. That city gave us 
one very bad lesson, when the people 
despised Jesus. He went into the 
synagogue one Sabbath day, and 
read them a prophecy about him- 
self, and preached to them. But 
they were angry, and rose up and 
thrust him out of the city, and led 
him to the brow of the hill to cast 
him down* This lesson is not one 
taught us by the people, but by the 
Holy Child. We shall put two 
*Lukeiv. 16-30. 



226 



THE HOLY CHILD, 



verses side by side, that you may 
keep these sayings in your heart. 



And the child grew, and wax- 
ed strong in spirit, filled with 
wisdom, and the grace of God 
was upon him." Luke ii. 40. 



" And he went down with 
them, and came to Nazareth, 
and was subject unto them-.... 
And Jesus increased in wis- 
dom, and stature, and in favour 
with God and man." Luke ii. 
51, 52. 



I. Jesus grew — he increased in stat- 
ure. He once felt as a child often feels. 
He can sympathize with children. 
He is touched with a feeling of their 
infirmities. He knows all their 
sorrows. "When a man forgets how 
he felt and thought when a child, he 
cannot please children. He cannot 
make them happy. But Jesus never 
forgets this. He seems to say to us, 
" I was once a child ; I love chil- 
dren." He is the Saviour to whom 
they should pray. He never grew 
too old to honour his parents, nor 






A LESSON FKOM NAZAKETH. 227 

to pray, nor to learn, nor to obey 
God. 

IL Jesus increased in wisdom — he 
was filled with wisdom. As the Son 
of God, he knew all things. " He 
knew what was in man." He knew 
the Father, but as the Son of Man, 
he had much to learn. He did not 
seek that knowledge which is useless, 
but what is wise and good. He, no 
doubt, read the Scriptures, and com- 
mitted them to memory, and sung 
the Psalms. No man ever quoted 
Scripture more readily than he. 
His sayings were so wise, when he 
began to teach men, that even the 
INTazarenes " wondered at the gra- 
cious words which proceeded out of 
his mouth." God's word will make 
us wise. 



228 THE HOLY CHILD. 

III. He waxed strong in spirit. 
Although he had the mind of Grod, 
he had also a mind and soul, like 
that of man, only sinless. His hu- 
man soul, or spirit, grew stronger. 
Thus ours may, if we acquire a sound 
judgment, a resolute will, a cour- 
ageous heart, and strong moral pur- 
pose. Judge between good and 
evil. Be determined to obey Grod. 
Be afraid of nothing but sin. Be 
strong in the Lord and in the power 
of his might. Be filled with the 
Holy Grhost. Are we strong only 
in sin, and weak only in what is 
right? 

IV. He was subject unto his pa- 
rents. He obeyed them ; he sought 
to please them. For thirty years 
he lived at home. He loved his 



A LESSON FKOM INAZABETH. 229 

mother to the last. Many think 
that he helped Joseph the carpenter. 
Jesus was not ashamed that his re- 
puted father — only a step-father — 
was a carpenter ! JNTor did he think 
this would disqualify him for his 
work among men. The last royal 
descendant of Alexander the Great 
was apprenticed to a carpenter, so 
that he might never become a king. 
Jesus loved, honoured, and obeyed 
his parents, however humble, and 
poor, and despised. Obedience is 
first learned at home, and completed 
in heaven. 

Y. He increased in favour with 
men. Those who knew him loved 
him. The more they learned, the 
more they loved. This is not al- 
ways true of persons like us. We 
20 



230 THE HOLY CHILD. 

love some persons until we know 
them better, and then we see more 
and more evil in them. Jesus had 
enemies, but those who hated him 
knew him not. He will grow in 
favour with us, if we study his 
character, his deeds, his death, and 
his dying love. We should seek the 
good opinion of men, but seek first 
to deserve it. Let us care what 
people think of us, and care to be 
good enough to be thought well of. 
Grapes do not grow on thorns. 

VI. He increasedin favour with God. 
As the Son of G-od, the Father could 
not love him more than he had done 
from eternity. But as the Son of 
Man, he had more and more evidence 
to be sure that he pleased the Father. 
G-od blessed all that he said and did. 



A LESSON FKOM NAZAKETH. 231 

Does God think more of us, as "dear 
children," than when we were in our 
cradles ? Does he condemn us ? 
Does he hate our sins ? Are we 
growing in his favour ? If we are 
not in favour with God, we can never 
be saved. " The grace of God was 
upon him." God gave strength to 
his body and his human mind. He 
has done this with us, or we should 
never have grown an inch, nor been 
able to learn our alphabet. Are we 
thankful? 

These things are said of the 
humanity of Jesus. Far more won- 
derful things are said of his Divinity. 
He said that he was the Son of God. 
Everybody that wrote of him in the 
Bible said that he was Divine. All 
w T ho love to believe the Bible will 



232 THE HOLY CHILD. 

say that he is Christ Jesus the Lord 
from heaven. He did not begin his 
existence on the earth. John says 
so in the first verse of his Gospel. 
Paul says so in the second chapter 
of Philippians. All say that the 
man Jesus was God manifest in the 
flesh. Jesus said that he came down 
from heaven. He was there before 
there was ever any- world. He spoke 
of the " glory which he had with 
the Father before the world was." 
He came to the earth. He hum- 
bled himself. He took the form of 
a servant. And this is the reason 
why he had to learn, to study, to 
grow. This is all the reason we can 
give. If you ask for others, we 
must say, " We do not know !" We 



A LESSON FKOM NAZAKETH. 233 

often must say this, even of the 
grass, thetreeSj the stars, and heaven. 

My college teacher once said : 
" Never be ashamed to say, ' I don't 
know ' when vou do not know. 
Never be ashamed to let others 
appear wiser than you are. Never 
be ashamed to ask pro per questions." 
One of our class went to teach a 
school. The directors met to exa- 
mine him and see whether he would 
do for the place. At first he was 
a little frightened, but soon thought 
of what his professor had said. "I'll 
act on that," he said to himself. One 
of the directors asked, " Where, sir, 
is Saghalien?" 

" I do not know, sir," said the 

young candidate, "but would be 

very glad to learn." 
20* 



234 THE HOLY CHILD. 

" Well, we don't know either," 
said they, and proceeded to put 
other questions, which were an- 
swered to their entire satisfaction. 
One of them said afterwards, " We 
thought as much of your first answer 
as any of the rest. He that can 
gracefully say, ' I do not know/ 
will be most likely to learn." 

But there are some things which 
we never can know in this world. 
We can never know how Jesus was 
the Son of God, and yet had to 
learn and grow in wisdom. Yet 
how foolish it would be to say, 
" We cannot know, and therefore 
these things cannot be true." We 
cannot tell why there are about 
one hundred varieties of snow-crys- 
tals, nor why no two roses on the 




Snow Crystals. 



p. 234. 



A LESSON FROM NAZARETH. 235 

same stem are precisely alike, nor 
why no two leaves on a great oak 
are just alike in their form ; but yet 
these are facts. 

There* are people who are deter- 
mined not to believe some things 
whether they are in the Bible or 
not. They will not listen to proof 
and strong evidence. How foolish 
this is ! In the place where I am 
writing it seems to me that the sun 
rises in the west, and sets in the 
east. I often look in the west to 
see the sun in the morning, but 
never see it there. I forget myself 
and look north to see the sun at 
noon, but have never been able to 
see him there. He won't change 
to suit my whims. But I know the 
sun rises in the east, for I have the 



236 THE HOLY CHILD. 

evidence every morning. God proves 
it to me every day. What seems 
to be true in my feelings is not true 
in this case. Faith is better than 
feeling, because faith is founded on 
evidence. 

A gentleman once wrote as follows : 
Scepticism is natural to all minds, 
and is the vulgar weed which grows 
in every soil. I once made an ex- 
periment on a labourer, and watched 
the process of infidelity in the human 
mind. He was a man of good un- 
derstanding, but had little informa- 
tion beyond his humble occupation. 
He was working in my plantation 
on a very hot summer's day. 
" A hot day, my friend." 
" Yes, sir, I never knew such a 
day in all my life ; if it was decent, 



A LESSON FROM NAZARETH. 237 

I should pull off every rag about 
me." 

" Well, never mind, we shall have 
it cold enough by and by, when the 
sun gets nearer to us." 

" Sir," said the man, leaning on 
his spade, and looking at me with 
an arch smile, " I believe you know 
a great many things, but I can never 
believe that." 

" What cannot you believe ?" 

" Why, that the sun is nearer to 
us in the winter than it is in the sum- 
mer; don't I feel him blistering my 
back now ? and certain sure he must 
be farther off, when I stand shivering 
in the frost and snow." 

" Yet it is a certain fact, whether 
you will believe it or not, and, more 
than this, it is very probable there 



238 THE HOLY CHILD. 

is no heat at all in the sun." This 
was too incredible even for examina- 
tion. It appeared to his mind a 
perfect absurdity ; but he did not 
think it right to contradict his 
master, and so he fell to his work 
again. 

" I say, won't you believe what I 
have told you ? I must know better 
than you about these matters." 

Shaking his head, he kept on 
working, and muttered, " I never 
can believe this — I never will believe 
this." 

" Well, come to me in the evening, 
and I'll convince you by the testi- 
mony of your senses. You shall 
see if you won't believe." 

When he came, I lit a candle, 
and bade him put his finger to the 



A LESSOR EKOM NAZAKETH. 239 

side — then over the flame. Now 
pray, where is the heat the strong- 
est ?" 

" On the top, sir." 

" And where the weakest ?" 

"By the side, sir." 

" And where was your finger 
nearest to the flame?" 

" By the side, sir." 

" Yes ; in one case you could touch 
the flame without any inconvenience, 
in the other you could not bear 
the heat at some inches distant 
from it. Then don't you see, what 
we call heat does not depend on 
nearness or distance, and therefore 
supposing the sun to be a body of 
heat, it may be farther from us in 
summer than in winter, though we 



240 THE HOLY CHILD. 

feel hotter in the former than in 
the latter season of the year ?" 

He looked at me and then at the 
flame, as if he suspected I had al- 
tered the property of things. 

"I see," said he, "this plain 
enough what you say, sir, about this 
candle — but, I hope no offence, I 
really can't believe the sun is not 
nearer to us now, than it will be 
next winter/'* 

There are proofs in the Bible that 
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 
He performed miracles in his own 
name, he knew all men and all 
things, he taught as one having 
authority, he said he was divine, he 
was worshipped, he told his followers 

* See Causes and Cure of Scepticism," published 
by the Board of Publication. Price 15 cents. 



A LESSON FEOM NAZAKETH. 241 

that he would be in every place 
with every one of them, and hear 
their prayers, and he commands us 
to love and believe Grod by loving 
and believing Jesus. 

There are proofs that he was a 
man — " the man Christ Jesus." 
The lesson from Nazareth tells us 
this. He wept as a man, he was 
weary, and hungry, and thirsty, and 
sorrowful as a man. Here, then, 
are the great facts. If they do not 
seem to be true, yet they are true. 
Grod gives the proof. Put them to- 
gether and you have this — " God 
manifest in the flesh." 

The lesson from Nazareth is not 

all of the gospel. But it is a great 

lesson. We have a glimpse of how 

Jesus increased in wisdom, grew 

21 



242 THE HOLY CHILD. 

strong in spirit, obeyed his parents, 
and became more and more lovely 
in the sight of Grod and men. The 
example ought to rouse us up to 
grow wiser, better, and more obedi- 
ent every day. 

Henry, a youth of sixteen years, 
once went from home to an acad- 
emy. Every day a younger boy 
came into the school-room and 
read a Latin lesson. Henry had a 
glimpse of him, and heard him 
reading his Caesar as rapidly as 
every good boy will who has a good 
lesson. Henry heard his teacher 
praise his Latin student, and call 
him " the best boy he ever had in 
school." The example was a charm- 
ing one. It fired Henry's spirit. 
" I must study Latin," said he ; "I 



A LESSON" FKOM NAZAEETH. 243 

must be a good scholar too. If he 
is going to be a minister, I want to 
be one also." Henry began in 
earnest. The books almost turned 
pale before him. He began to play 
less, sleep less, eat less, and study 
more. He followed on after his 
young friend. Grod changed the 
hearts of those young men. One of 
them is now a missionary in Africa, 
and Henry is pastor .of a church in 
this country. And Henry writes 
this to me, " It was the glimpse 
which I had of that Latin student, 
that made me wish to be like him, 
and I began to study Latin the very 
next week. I became well ac- 
quainted with him, and never knew 
of his doing or saying anything 
wrong. When he played, he played 



244 THE HOLY CHILD. 

hard, and when he studied, he did 
it with all his might. There never 
was a black mark against him on 
the teacher's roll. He was loved 
more than any one in the school. 
His teacher said that he was always 
learning something from him. He 
knew when to say ' No,' and how 
to say ' Yes,' in the most frank and 
graceful manner. He was a young 
Timothy." 

"Was not Henry right in choosing 
to follow such an example ? Ought 
not the glimpses of Jesus at the 
home in Nazareth, stimulate us to 
grow in wisdom, in meekness, in 
obedience, in the favour of Grod and 
men ? Did he read the Bible ? So 
ought we. Did he refuse to read 
and to learn folly and wickedness ? 



A LESSOR FKOM NAZAEETH. 245 

So ought we. I have no doubt but 
he thought the example of Samuel 
a good one to follow, and was ever 
ready to say, " Speak, Lord, thy 
servant heareth." 
21* 



246 THE HOLY CHILD. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

THE CHILD WHO WOULD BE HOLY. 

Then came he to Derbe and Lystra ; and 
behold, a certain disciple was there, named 
Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which 
was a Jewess, and believed ; but his father was 
a Greek ; who (i. e. Timothy) was well reported 
of by the brethren that were at Lystra and 
Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth 
with him. — Acts xvi. 1 — 3. 

Continue thou in the things which thou hast 
learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom 
thou hast learned them ; and that from a child 
thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which 
are able to make thee wise unto salvation through 
faith which is in Christ Jesus." — Paul to Timothy. 

Paul never flattered men. He 
did not often praise them. He was 



CHILD WHO WOULD BE HOLY. 247 

afraid of making them vain and 
self-conceited. It is a wicked pride 
to be ever saying by actions, " Come 
and see how humble, how good, 
how lovely I am." Also, Paul was 
too intent upon giving praise to 
Grod, and writing of those great 
doctrines which he loved, to stop to 
pay any compliments. But he does 
praise one young man more than 
all others. Whom? Will you u read 
and you will know ?" 

Paul was a great traveller, and 
found all sorts of perils on the way. 
On one of his missionary journeys 
he came to Lystra, and there found 
a youth who loved the Saviour. He 
had heard of Jesus. He was seeking 
to be like Jesus. His name was 
Timothy. There is more said of 



248 THE HOLY CHILD. 

him than any other youth in the 
New Testament except Jesus Christ. 
He was not like the driver boy to 
whom we gave the first Testament 
he ever saw. He had the Old Testa- 
ment, and had heard much that is in 
the New. He knew of " the Holy 
Child." 

We almost forget sometimes that 
the great and good men of Bible 
days were once children. They were 
once in the cradle. They had their 
childish plays. They had to learn 
one thing at a time. Many of them 
once sat on a mother's knee, and 
heard the same Bible-stories which 
our mothers taught us. They no 
doubt asked, as children now do, 
for " one story more." 

" From a child thou hast known 



CHILD WHO WOULD BE HOLY. 249 

the holy Scriptures," wrote Paul to 
Timothy. Before he could read, he 
knew much of the Bible. A Hebrew 
mother could tell those rich stories 
of Joseph, of Moses, of Samuel, and 
of David, as few mothers can now. 
The Bible was Timothy's first-lesson 
book. 

His father was a Greek. He 
perhaps wished Timothy to study 
Greek, and read of Spartan youth, 
and the " seven wise men." But 
no, Timothy loved the Bible the 
best. Such children now sing, "We 
won't give up the Bible." He had 
a grandmother also to teach him, 
and she was sure to tell him not to 
wait until he was old to begin to 
serve God. I have not a doubt 
that she told him that Samuel's way 



250 THE HOLY CHILD. 

was the wisest. Paul tells Timothy 
never to forget his mother and 
grandmother, from whom he had 
learned the Scriptures. Nor would 
he ever be too old for the Bible. 
" Continue thou in the things which 
thou hast learned." 

Timothy grew up at home, very 
much as Jesus did at Nazareth. 
He increased in stature, in wisdom, 
in spirit, and in favour with Grod and 
men. The Christians at Lystra 
spoke of him in praise. But he 
was not a Christian himself until 
he met with Paul. Before this he 
had learned, but now he believed. 
Paul calls him his " own son in 
the faith." Paul loved him. 

I do not believe that Jonathan 
loved David so much. No two 



CHILD WHO WOULD BE HOLY. 251 

mere men in the New Testament 
seem to have loved one another 
so much as Paul and Timothv. 
They travelled for years together. 
Timothy would weep when they 
must part. When separated, Paul 
wrote to him, and called him, his 
" dearly beloved son." How tender 
was Paul's heart w T hen he wrote: 
" Without ceasing I have remem- 
brance of thee in my prayers night 
and day, greatly desiring to see 
thee, being mindful of thy tears, that 
I may be filled with joy!" Paul 
wrote this when in a prison at 
Rome. It was then growing toward 
winter, and Paul was chilled by the 
cold night air in the prison. He 
hoped Timothy would come and see 
him. " Do thy diligence to come 



252 THE HOLY CHILD. 

before winter." Paul had left his 
cloak and books at Troas, and he 
says, " The cloak, that I left at Troas, 
with Carpus, when thou coniest 
bring with thee, and the books, but 
especially the parchments." Those 
parchments were, perhaps, parts 
of the Bible. He thought more of 
the Scriptures than he did of his 
cloak. It seems that Timothy never 
was permitted to see him at Rome. 
Paul was put to death soon after 
this time. 

One thing is worth a notice, 
Timothy could read his own praise 
and not be flattered and made vain 
by it. Not every one can do this. 
The Emperor Charles V. loved 
to read of the wars in which he had 
been the chief actor, but when one 



CHILD WHO WOULD BE HOLY. 253 

of his friends wished to read to him 
what he had written in his praise, 
he said, "I will neither hear nor 
read what others have written of me. 
Others may do this after I am gone. 
But if you wish for information on 
any point, you have only to ask, 
and I will give it willingly." 

The Holy Child Jesus set a high ex- 
ample before all children. Timothy 
shows them how to follow it. He 
was not, naturally, pure and sinless 
and good as Jesus was. He was a 
sinful child, and yet not one of his 
sins is recorded. He was often with 
wicked men, but he did not love their 
ways. He was surrounded by teach- 
ers of falsehood, and fables, but he 
" held fast the form of sound words." 
The only way that he became like Je- 

22 



254 THE HOLY CHILD. 

sus,was by loving him, obeying him, 
and trusting in his sacrifice. He 
not only learned the lesson from 
Nazareth, but also the greater les- 
son from Calvary. The only way 
that he became a holy man was by 
giving his heart to the Holy Spirit 
to be made anew. " Create in me a 
new heart." 

The snow is the whitest thing you 
ever saw. We forget how beautiful 
it is. A friend of mine once rose 
up on a November morning and saw 
the ground all white, and the dingy 
houses all fleecy. He was wonder- 
fully overjoyed. He had never seen 
any snow before. " I never knew," 
said he, " what white is till now. 
Oh what will white robes be ?" Can 
anything be whiter than snow ? 



CHILD WHO WOULD BE HOLY. 255 

Yes, David says, " Wash me, and I 
shall be whiter than snow !" 

The Holy Child was as free from 
sin as the snow is white. And all who 
love Jesus will be made holy. This 
is what you say you wish, when you 
sing, " I want to be like Jesus." 
A child once prayed, "Lord, I 
want to have thy Holy Spirit 
now. I do not wish to wait a long 
time. I do not wish to wait till to- 
morrow, I want to have thy Holy 
Spirit now" Grod loves such a 
prayer. If we hate it, it is because 
we are not holy, nor are wishing 
to be. We need to be holy, more 
than all else. 

Luther was very fond of children. 
So was Cromwell. They could have 
joined a great poet in saying, "I 



256 THE HOLY CHILD. 

deny myself my evening meal in 
my eagerness to work, but the in- 
terruptions by my children I cannot 
deny myself." Luther was happy 
when Christmas came, and took 
care that every one in his family 
should have something hanging on 
the boughs of the Christmas-tree. 
One Christmas he was away from 
home. He sent the following letter 
to his son John, written from Coburg 
in 1530 : 

" Grace and peace in Christ, my 
dear little son. I see with pleasure 
that thou learnest well and prayest 
diligently. Do so, my son, and 
continue. When I come home I 
will bring thee a pretty fairing. 

" I know a pretty merry garden 
wherein there are many children. 



CHILD WHO WOULD BE HOLY. 257 

They have little golden coats, and 
they gather beautiful apples under 
the trees, and pears and cherries 
and plums ; they sing and jump 
and are merry. They have beautiful 
little horses too, with gold bits, and 
silver saddles, and I asked the 
man to whom the garden belongs 
whose children they were. And 
he said, ' They are the children that 
love to pray, and to learn, and are 
good V Then I said, ' Dear man, I 
have a son too, whose name is 
Johnny Luther. May he not also 
come into the garden, and eat these 
beautiful apples and pears, and ride 
those fine horses ?' Then the man 
said, 'If he loves to pray, and to learn, 
and is good, he shall come into this 

garden, and Lippus, and Jost too, 

22* 



258 THE HOLY CHILD. 

and when they all come together, 
they shall have fifes and trumpets, 
lutes and all sorts of music.' * * * 

" ' But he has an aunt Lena, he 
must bring her with him.' Then 
the man said, ' It shall be so ; go and 
write him so. Therefore, my dear 
little son Johnny, learn and pray 
away, and tell Lippus and Jost too, 
that they must learn and pray, and 
then you shall come to the garden 
together. Herewith I commend 
thee to Almighty Grod. * * * 

" Thy dear father, 

"Martin Luthek." 

There is another garden, where 
runs a river of life, and where trees 
bear their fruit every month. The 
waters are clear as crystal, and flow 



CHILD WHO WOULD BE HOLY. 259 

from a throne of gold. None who 
love sin are allowed to enter it. 
All who are there are holy and 
happy. They have white robes and 
harps of gold. This garden is 
Paradise. Jesus is the keeper. He 
says we may come and live in it, 
and be happy for ever. He says 
that he will give us the proper robes, 
so that we may not be found in our 
rags. He says that he will take 
away our sins, so that we may not 
feel ashamed and guilty. He says 
that he will make us " whiter than 
snow." Are we readv to believe 
him? 

Around the throne of God in heaven, 
Thousands of children stand ; 

Children whose sins are all forgiven, 
A holy happy band, 

Singing glory, glory. 



260 



THE HOLY CHILD, 



What brought them to that world above, 
That heaven so bright and fair ? 

Where all is peace and joy and love, 
How came those children there, 
Singing glory, glory ? 

On earth they sought their Saviour's grace, 

On earth they loved his name 
So now they see his blessed face 

And stand before the Lamb, 
Singing glory, glory. 

Glory be to God on high. 



Jau. 23 1861. 



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